(ANS - Houssoun)– The embrace of Don Bosco depicted in the coloured hijab of a Muslim girl symbolizes the desire to believe in peace and the effort to ensure that it is the power of ideas that wins, and not the idea of force. Since the end of June,  the Church of Mary Help of Christians at the Salesian Centre  of Houssoun in Lebanon has been illuminated with a light they call the light of Don Bosco.  It symbolizes Don Bosco’s embrace of love and fraternity that  overcomes every division and every resistance to integration.
 

In recent months there has been a constant flow of news about ethnic and religious cleansing,  crimes against the innocent and the desire for the supremacy of one religion over others. This light  is the best answer for those who still believe that colour can  enrich our everyday life.  In the powder keg of the Middle East, this is a candle in the darkness that cannot withstand the light. A painting by Raffaele Gerardi (an Italian artist and designer) is part of the project for the restoration of the Salesian Church in Houssoun. In just four months the project has become a reality.

The project was planned by Together Onlus, an Italian non-profit organization, and realized with the collaboration of very many Lebanese, and with the help of hundreds of Italians who believe that the light of the Church brings hope and peace. The Church of Mary Help of Christians was built in 1962 and had not been restored since then. Together Onlus has brought new light to the Church with a new tabernacle, a new font, and  new Stations of the Cross,  all made by artists from Carrara using the famous Carrara marble.

Work has also been done to reinforce the structure, a new electrical system has been installed, and a new square built in front of the Church. This will add a Salesian touch to a structure that is a landmark for the entire area. The bell that has been silent for eight years now rings out again. Its chimes will be a strong reminder that the Christian tradition can co-exist with the call to prayer from the nearby mosques.

"Our latest project in Lebanon is driven by the desire to enhance the work of Don Bosco, and to build and strengthen the journey towards peaceful religious coexistence."  So says Nello Rega, president of the non-profit organization Together Onlus that has been active in Lebanon since 2005. "For almost ten years we have been trying to relate equally with all the various politico-religious factions that are found in the Land of the Cedars.

We have helped Shiite and Sunni centres, Palestinian refugee camps, and Christian centres. We believe in diversity but at the same time we think it is right for us to take pride in helping Christians, and we will continue to do so. We have already started with our next project which will be aimed at young people and will be completed by summer 2015.  These are the young people for whom Don Bosco lived and worked, bringing hope into their lives and smiles to their faces.  During next year’s Bicentenary, the smile and embrace of Don Bosco, which can be seen in the murals of the Church of Mary Help of Christians in Houssoun, will serve once again as a compass guiding Lebanon and the rest of the Middle East to bring about peace through the power of ideas."

Nello Rega
  
Published  04/09/2014