NOTIZIE INTORNO ALLA VITA QUOTIDIANA DELLA NOSTRA CHIESA

31 Marzo 2021 Newsflash Antioch: MARCH 2021 According to the latest data, after many very hard months of Covid-19 restrictions, a better month than the previous ones awaits us. It appears the pandemic is under control. Unfortunately, this means many people will begin to take fewer precautions which brings with it the danger of resurgence in infection. However, March looks good. The Sunday celebration will be open to the faithful and broadcast online. Here in Antioch we will be able to be more relaxed in the summer, being able to use the garden and having the space to observe the required social distancing. This month the Christian community has still seen 2 deaths from Covid-19 ... March 1st. One of the oldest women in the world, Nesibe, dies near Antioch… she was 115 years old! March 2nd. The new Covid-19 provisions in Turkey come into force. The country has been divided into 5 colour bands: white (no risk), blue (minimum risk), yellow (at risk), orange (high risk) and red (very high risk). These will be updated every week. Our region (Hatay) is currently classified yellow ... It is a first step, we hope, to a gradual return to normal. March 4th. After more than a year without pilgrims, a large group of Mexicans (56 plus a priest) arrives. They celebrate Mass in the garden which they broadcast on a TV channel in their country and have 725,000 viewers ! March 8th. Today is Women’s Day. The newspapers are full of uplifting messages and stories of self-denial and sacrifice, but also the statistics that 310 women have been killed in the last 12 months! March 11th. The Indian Ambassador to Turkey, Sanjay Panda, visits our church. March 12th. The catechists of the Neocatechumenal Way, Fr. Valerian, Mimmo and Simona make the Lent Announcement to the Antioch communities on Zoom. March 17th. Today we, in accordance with the Eastern dates, begin Lent with Ash Wednesday. We will celebrate Easter on May 2nd. - We also remember the 4th anniversary of the death of Fr. Roberto Ferrari. March 18th. The ambassador of Europe to Turkey, Nikolaus Meyer-Landup (German) with his wife Brigitte (French), visits our church. He was intereted to know how we are and what our relations with the authorities and the people are like. March 19th. First Friday of Lent. We conclude the day with the Way of the Cross. March 20th. Fr Francis returns to India for a month's vacation. Our young Kristofer accompanies him to the airport... March 22nd. Online meeting of the Capuchins of Emilia-Romagna with the archbishop of Modena, Mons Erio Castellucci, on the theme Poverty and Prayer.Fr Domenico participated from Turkey. March 27th. The Prefect of Antioch, Rahmi Dogan, brings the Prefect of Ankara, Vasip Sahin, and his family, to visit our church. March 28th. The Turkish Red Cross asks Fr. Domenico to give a message of encouragement during its campaign to increase blood donation. March 31st. In the last week of the month there were 1700 infections in our region and we were recategorized as orange. There will be a curfew from Saturday evening to Monday morning. The third wave is coming and it is expected to be very tough. Fortunately, they are already vaccinating people in their sixties.