This year celebration of the Feast of Saint Anthony, which usually takes place at sunset in the square next to our chapel in Harissa, was postponed for one hour so that the assembled faithful would not be under the hot sun.
Five of us from our Beirut convent went down: Brother Giuseppe Incelli and Brother Giuseppe Costantin; Tina the secretary and Ms. Sonia Tekla, who has been serving the convent and the parish for years; and Mr. Antonio Kayrouz, our driver. We arrived early and greeted the friars and postulants, who were busy preparing the tables for dinner. Abuna Ibrahim asked me to go to the chapel for confessions. The church had been emptied of its pews, which were set up in the square, and the altar was decorated with numerous floral bouquets offered by the faithful. Some couples came with their children. Following tradition, they asked a benediction for their little boys, who were then dressed in Saint Anthony’s habit. Many young couples with children also came to pray in the chapel for a moment before Mass, the celebration of which was postponed a further half-hour at the request of Télé-Lumière, for technical reasons. Bishop Paul Dahdah, who was the principal concelebrant, regretted this delay, which meant that the faithful would be late setting out on their way home.
Finally, Brother Samuel invited us to begin the procession. A number of priests of different rites concelebrated with the bishop, as did Brother Samuel and Brother Ibrahim. Mario, who is a deacon, was master of ceremonies and the postulants were the servers. The first rows were filled with invited public figures. The celebration took place in a deeply devoted atmosphere, but, sadly, was disturbed by the news of the attack at Rauche that claimed ten victims: a member of parliament and his son and several of his aides.
The Dar’una parish choir led the singing with the words projected on a screen to facilitate participation by the faithful. The readings were proclaimed clearly and solemnly. The square was illuminated, decorated with flowers and white fabric drapings. It was clear that a great deal of trouble had been taken to celebrate and honor the Lord and Saint Anthony, who is so loved and venerated by the Lebanese people.
In his homily, the bishop stressed how well-loved Saint Anthony is in Lebanon, where there is not one church without a statue or picture of the saint. What is important, however, is not to seek extraordinary miracles worked by the saint, or rather by the Holy One who works miracles, but to imitate his virtues: his humility, his faith, his love of the Word of God. He then invited the assembly to pray for the dead, for the homeland, for peace in Lebanon.
During the Presentation of the Gifts, a group of children and young people was preceded by a flight of released balloons. During this time, Brother Samuel recalled the most important stages of the saint’s life while images were projected on the screen. While the litany was sung, the procession with the saint’s statue and the distribution of bread concluded the celebration. After a brief pause, we were all invited, with the other priests and the representatives of the civil authorities, to share the bishop’s meal, carefully prepared by Baha’, the convent cook, with the help of her husband, Bassam, the convent gardener, and served by the postulants.
The tables were all damp because of the high humidity on the Harissa mountain, but that did not deter anyone from doing justice to Baha’s cooking!
We are grateful to the Harissa fraternity for having so carefully and lovingly prepared the feast of Saint Anthony, as well as to the postulants and volunteer friends of the convent. May the Lord bless them and Saint Anthony protect them.
Brother Joseph Costantin ofm
Five of us from our Beirut convent went down: Brother Giuseppe Incelli and Brother Giuseppe Costantin; Tina the secretary and Ms. Sonia Tekla, who has been serving the convent and the parish for years; and Mr. Antonio Kayrouz, our driver. We arrived early and greeted the friars and postulants, who were busy preparing the tables for dinner. Abuna Ibrahim asked me to go to the chapel for confessions. The church had been emptied of its pews, which were set up in the square, and the altar was decorated with numerous floral bouquets offered by the faithful. Some couples came with their children. Following tradition, they asked a benediction for their little boys, who were then dressed in Saint Anthony’s habit. Many young couples with children also came to pray in the chapel for a moment before Mass, the celebration of which was postponed a further half-hour at the request of Télé-Lumière, for technical reasons. Bishop Paul Dahdah, who was the principal concelebrant, regretted this delay, which meant that the faithful would be late setting out on their way home.
Finally, Brother Samuel invited us to begin the procession. A number of priests of different rites concelebrated with the bishop, as did Brother Samuel and Brother Ibrahim. Mario, who is a deacon, was master of ceremonies and the postulants were the servers. The first rows were filled with invited public figures. The celebration took place in a deeply devoted atmosphere, but, sadly, was disturbed by the news of the attack at Rauche that claimed ten victims: a member of parliament and his son and several of his aides.
The Dar’una parish choir led the singing with the words projected on a screen to facilitate participation by the faithful. The readings were proclaimed clearly and solemnly. The square was illuminated, decorated with flowers and white fabric drapings. It was clear that a great deal of trouble had been taken to celebrate and honor the Lord and Saint Anthony, who is so loved and venerated by the Lebanese people.
In his homily, the bishop stressed how well-loved Saint Anthony is in Lebanon, where there is not one church without a statue or picture of the saint. What is important, however, is not to seek extraordinary miracles worked by the saint, or rather by the Holy One who works miracles, but to imitate his virtues: his humility, his faith, his love of the Word of God. He then invited the assembly to pray for the dead, for the homeland, for peace in Lebanon.
During the Presentation of the Gifts, a group of children and young people was preceded by a flight of released balloons. During this time, Brother Samuel recalled the most important stages of the saint’s life while images were projected on the screen. While the litany was sung, the procession with the saint’s statue and the distribution of bread concluded the celebration. After a brief pause, we were all invited, with the other priests and the representatives of the civil authorities, to share the bishop’s meal, carefully prepared by Baha’, the convent cook, with the help of her husband, Bassam, the convent gardener, and served by the postulants.
The tables were all damp because of the high humidity on the Harissa mountain, but that did not deter anyone from doing justice to Baha’s cooking!
We are grateful to the Harissa fraternity for having so carefully and lovingly prepared the feast of Saint Anthony, as well as to the postulants and volunteer friends of the convent. May the Lord bless them and Saint Anthony protect them.
Brother Joseph Costantin ofm