The Roman Catholic Parish of Iskenderun in the city of Antioch celebrated the “name day” or the parish feast for the occasion of the day of the Annunciation of the Angel to the Virgin Mary.
The ceremony was held in the church under the leadership of Apostolic Vicar of the Diocese of Anatolia, Bishop Monsignor Paolo Bizzeti at the day of the feast of the Annunciation. The parish has the same name of this feast which is celebrated every year on 25th March. Parish priests Lucian Abalintoaiei and Julius Ohanele also participated to the mass.
Monsignor Bizzeti gave a brief sermon during the celebration where flowers were presented to the icon of Virgin Mary during the annunciation of the birth of Jesus, which is the meaning of this feast.
Bishop Bizzeti said: “The Day of the Annunciation means the visit of the angel to Mary for bringing the Good News of the birth of Jesus Christ. The angel came to her and said: ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, the mercy of God is upon you. You will be pregnant and you will give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, he will be called ‘the Son of the Most High’. Mary said, ‘I am a servant of the Lord. May it become as you said to me.’ The angel wanted Mary to be happy and enjoy, and with this miracle God showed us again that he is almighty.”(SAT-7 TÜRK / İlyas Edip TERBİYELİ-İskenderun)
