On January 3, First Friday of the year 2014, in the Parish Santa Cruz of Hanga Roa (Easter Island), a Mass of Thanksgiving was held to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the beginning of evangelization in the island (Rapa Nui), with the first arrival of Brother Eugene Eyraud sscc on 3 January 1864.
Pope Francis, at the request of the Bishop of Valparaíso, Gonzalo Duarte sscc, whose diocese Easter Island belongs to, has sent his blessing through the Secretary of State Archbishop Pietro Parolin.
Click here to read the message (in Spanish)
After the Mass, presided by the parish priest Fr. Bernardo Astudillo Basulto, the assembly went outside the temple to the burial of Brother Eugene Eyraud and then the pastor made a prayer for his eternal rest.
It's really interesting the history of the evangelization of this unique island of 180 square Kms and the most "isolated” of the world: 3700 kms from the American continent and 4100 km from Tahiti.
To learn more click here.
Parish celebration of the 150 anniversary
Our Lady of Rapa Nui
01/14/2014