Rio de Janeiro (Monday, 03/02/2015, Gaudium Press) On the 450th anniversary of the foundation of the city of Rio de Janeiro, on March 1, in the church dedicated to San Sebastian, in Barra da Tijuca, a solemn Mass was celebrated by the Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro, Cardinal Orani João Tempesta, and concelebrated by the auxiliary bishops and several archdiocesan priests.
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| Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro, Cardinal Orani Tempesta |
Just before the Mass, the mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Paes, handed the keys of the city to the cardinal, who in turn blessed the statue of Saint Sebastian brought by Estacio de Sa, as well as the remains of the founder of the city and the foundation cornerstone.
“We ask that this earth be blessed. She is already beautiful by nature, as the song goes, but we ask that Christians may contribute to its beauty,” said the Archbishop.
Shortly after an eight tons cake and 450 meters long was presented to the public, at Rua da Carioca, in the center of town, and the image of San Sebastian was taken to the site by the Cardinal Archbishop of Rio.
In the evening, at the City Palace, in Botafogo, Archbishop Orani was awarded with the Medal First of March, produced by the Mint. (LMI)
From the Editor’s Desk of Gaudium Press, with information from the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro
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