General administration celebrates Bicentenary on feast of St Marcellin
Around 170 Brothers, laity and guests gathered at the general house for the celebration of the Institute’s bicentenary and feast of Saint Marcellin Champagnat on June 6.
The event, celebrated in Rome to highlight the Institute’s presence in the Church, included a presentation of the three volumes of the book ‘History of the Institute’ and a photographic exhibition of Brothers and laity on mission worldwide.
A Mass was then held by Cardinal João Braz de Aviz, Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.
During the mass, a burnous (an Arabic tunic) that belonged to Br Henri Vergés, martyred in Algeria in 1994was placed at the altar to commemorate all the Marist brothers who have given their lives for their faith during these 200 years of our history. At the end of mass, this holy Marist relic was passed onto a representative of the Sant’Egidio community who will place it at the Basilica of St Batholomew on the Isola Tiberina in Rome.
The Mass readings and prayers were said in different languages to stress the internationality of the Institute, and then the event came to an end with a dinner.
Audio: Presentation History of the Institute – 45 min
Audio: Presentation photographic exhibition – 17 min
Audio – Mass – 1h 17min
The Institute’s general administration set three dates this year to celebrate the Bicentenary: the date of the founding of the Institute (Jan. 2), the feast of St Marcellin (June 6) and the start of the 22nd general chapter in Colombia (Sept. 8).