Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Addis Ababa (Agenzia Fides) - “The celebration of the new Christian Millenium is a very important event in Ethiopia, as it defines one of the characteristics of the national identity,” Fides was told by Archbishop Ramiro Moliner Ingles, Apostolic Nuncio in Ethiopia. The Great Jubilee and the Ethiopian New Christian Millenium is being celebrated September 2007 to September 2008, according to the Ethiopian calendar (see Fides 2/5/2008). “The civil authorities expressed their wish to extend this celebration to all Africa, as is stated in a document from the African Union, headquartered in Ethiopia’s capital city of Addis Ababa,” the Nuncio mentioned.
“The Catholic Church’s contribution to the celebrations began with the National Eucharistic Congress, which concluded on Sunday, May 4, in the presence of Cardinal Ivan Dias, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples and the Holy Father’s Special Envoy,” Archbishop Moliner Ingles said. “With the Eucharistic Congress, the local Catholic Bishops have recalled Our Lord’s promise: ‘I am with you until the end of time.’ Christ’s presence among men takes place primarily through the Eucharist.” On May 4, there was a Closing Mass held for the National Eucharistic Congress in Mary, Help of Christians Parish Church, run by the Salesian Fathers, in Addis Ababa. The Mass was held in the Eastern Rite and in the Amharic language, presided by Archbishop Berhaneyesus D. Souraphiel of Addis Ababa, President of the Ethiopian Bishops’ Conference. Cardinal Dias delivered the homily in the English language, with a translation into Amharic. Nearly 3,000 faithful attended the Mass.
On May 5, Cardinal Dias traveled to Djibouti upon the invitation of Bishop Giorgio Bertin. “I am very grateful to Cardinal Dias for having accepted this invitation,” Bishop Bertin told Agenzia Fides. “I had asked him if he could visit Djibouti, on his trip to Ethiopia, in order to encourage our small Church in continuing its mission of giving testimony to the Christian faith in an Islamic country.”
“His Eminence celebrated a Mass in the Cathedral, the same one that was inaugurated by Cardinal Tisserand and that was recently restored,” Bishop Bertin said. “Later, he met with representatives from Caritas Djibouti, who play a fundamental role, because as I always say, our mission must be above all through charity and education.”
The following day, Cardinal Dias visited the “Ecole de la Nativite,” led by the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Notre Dame, and the diocesan school that is attended by children from middle-class families, which is connected to a learning center for students who, for various reasons, cannot attend the school. The entire complex is led by the Presentation Sisters from India. Their foundation began in Como and their full name is “Daughters of the Presentation of the Most Holy Virgin in the Temple.” They are present in various parts of the world. (LM) (Agenzia Fides 7/5/2008; righe 37, parole 466)
