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Consecration
of the church of the Presentation of St Mary in Wukro
Ethiopia
Wukro 50km from Adigrat. Region TigrayNovember 13th 2003 was a day of prayer and feasting as the newly built Church in Wukro was consecrated by the Eparch of Adigrat, Abune Tesfaselassie Medhin. Bishop Tesfaselassie was assisted by more than twelve priests, most of whom came from Adigrat.
Three of our confreres were concelebrating: Dietmar Lenfers, José Bandres, Kevin O' Mahoney. Before this day the mass was celebrated in a classroom or in the hall of the social centre.
Wukro with a population of about thirty thousand people, the majority of whom are Orthodox Christians, has seen the number of Catholics grow to about one hundred. The Ecumenical dimension of the Catholic church was strengthened as a good number of the Orthodox priests took part in the consecration ceremony, even taking the leading role in the early morning chant.
The Muslim population was also represented, a sign that the task of building bridges between the different faiths is a priority in the Eparchy.
The procession is entering in the church with the Tabot, (Ark of the Covenant) Father José Bandres is accompanying the Bishop
The Tabot is carried during the blessing of the Church of Wukro, Bishop Tesfaselassie is blessing the outside of the church helped by Father José Bandres
Mgr Tesfaselassie in front of the main door of the new church of Wukro, blessing it
Many orthodox priests singing in St Mary Church during the consecration
Mgr. Tesfaselassie during the consecration Mass of the church of Wukro
Bishop Tesfaselassie preaching during the mass
Father José greeting orthodox priests, many of them joined the blessing of the church
The interior of the church of Wukro at the occasion of the blessing
A stained glass window of the new church.
See the frescoes of the Church
and the page about the Missionaries
of Africa in Ethiopia
