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(ANS – Concepción) – Shortly before becoming Archbishop of Santiago, Archbishop Ricardo Ezzati, then Archbishop of Concepción, had issued a diocesan decree by which the church of the Salesian School at Irarrázaval was officially erected as a Sanctuary, dedicated to Our Blessed Lady under the title of “Help of Christians”.

The news was announced on 31 January, the Feast of St John Bosco, during a special Mass, by Fr Juan Ibáñez, Rector of the Salesian community in Concepción, to the great joy of the faithful and the  members of the Salesian Family. During the Mass a couple from the local community accompanied by two representatives of ADMA brought to the altar the official document signed by  Archbishop Ezzati.

During the Mass Fr Ibáñez expressed his thanks to Archbishop Ezzati “for the great love shown to the Salesain house and the Salesian Family allowing this dream to be fulfilled.”

Although the church was already popularly known as a sanctuary, in fact it lacked the official recognition of a diocesan decree. In the church’s history two dates stand out: 15 August 1980, when it was blessed by the Archbishop of Concepcion the time Manuel Sanchez; and 15 August 2005, when Archbishop Ezzati consecrated the Sanctuary and dedicated it to Mary Help of  Christians.

As the document states, “the purpose of the erection of the church is to promote devotion to Mary Help of Christians so that the people who come here, especially the young may encounter her Divine Son the Redeemer of Mankind.”

Also mentioned in the decree in the first place is the devotion to Mary Help of Christians shown by many faithful following the arrival of the Salesians in Concepción, in 1887.

Published 18/02/2011