(ANS – Tunis) – After days of protests, clashes and fear resulting from the unstable political situation in the country, the educational community and the youth from the Salesian school at Manouba, Tunisia, could finally experience a day of joy last Saturday, February 16th, in remembrance of the Salesian missionary Fr. Marek Rybinski.

Fr Rybinski, who served for 3 and a half years at the Salesian school, starting from September 2007, was murdered on February 18th, 2011; his killer had spent a loan extended to him by the Salesian.

As in 2012, the school community this year decided to remember him with a day of happy remembrance which reminded them of his total Salesian dedication to young people: "It was a nice party to celebrate the second anniversary of the death of our dear Fr Marek, one of those that certainly would have liked him” says Br. Roberto Lionelli, a Salesian Brother who replaced Fr Rybinski at the Salesian school – “we organized an afternoon of sports, games, fun, friendship and great joy, complemented by an excellent and plentiful snack ".

The festive celebration was attended by students from the school, the people of the neighbourhood, some thirty school pupils from the nearby Marianists and various Italian citizens, friends of the Salesians. Before ‘kick-off’ to the tournaments that marked the day,  the national anthem of Poland, birthplace of Fr Rybinski, and the anthem of Tunisia, the country to which the Salesian missionary had decided to dedicate himself, were sung. After a minute's silence, a long applause showed the affectionate grateful remembrance the people of Manouba still retain for Fr Rybinski.

Published 22/02/2013