Marist Educational Mission in Athens
350 Marists from Greece celebrated the feast of Saint Marcellin Champagnat on June 8, in the Marist college of Néa Smyrni in Athens. Present at the ceremony was the Apostolic Nuncio, Mons. Savio Hon Thai – Fai who congratulated the Brothers and lay Marists for the educational and social work they offer to the children and young people, and also for the Marist principles and values that they foster among their students.
Also present at the event were: the Marist Brothers, the Sisters of the Community of Saint Joseph of the Apparition, the educational, administrative and technical staff of the two Marist Establishments in Greece (from Athens and Néa Smyrni), from the Social Centre " Heart without Bounds", from the Centre for training in the Greek Language " Agia Kyriaki ", members of the Team "Young Marists in Action ", representatives of the Administrative Council for the Secretariat of the Free Teaching Institutions in Greece (S.I.E.L.G.), the Council for management of the Schools "Saint Joseph" and "Jeanne d'Arc" as well as the representatives of the Parents and Former Pupils' Associations.
The Director of the college of Néa Smyrni, Mrs. Ekaterini Mouzaki, for her part, underlined the importance of this celebration which has been held by turns, over the last ten years in the two Marist Establishments and which contributes to the closeness of the relations between the members of the Marist Family.
As part of the tribute to Saint Marcellin Champagnat, the piece entitled "The Fifth Gospel" was presented for the first time in Greek. It is a piece containing words of Brother Henri, pronounced ten years before his death, written by the Dominican priest Adrien Candiard and translated into Greek by M. Nicolas Dessypris. The teacher in the Marist primary school " Chrysostomos Smyrnis ", Mr. Georges Drassas was responsible for the production and two professors from the High school, M.M Ioannis Tzagakises and Vassilios Chelases, interpreted the two roles.
After the presentation of the piece, all the helpers dined around the same table in a climate of conviviality and fraternity.