In Tarsus, the city where St. Paul was born and lived, a special service was held with the participation of the congregations of Iskenderun, Antakya, Adana, Mersin, Samsun and Istanbul. The hymns sung by the choir of young people added enthusiasm and color to the liturgy.
The Holy Mass held in the church built as ‘St. Paul’s Church In the town of Tarsus, Mersin, in 1850, by the Orthodox Arab-Greek Community and serving as “St. Paul Memorial Museum” since 2001, was co-directed by the Acting Bishop of Istanbul Apostle Massimiliano Palinuro and the Anatolian Apostle and Bishop Paolo Bizzeti. Fathers from the Catholic Churches of Iskenderun, Antakya, Adana, Mersin, Samsun and Istanbul, as well as fathers from Italy, also attended the ceremony.
Giving a speech at the ceremony, the Apostolic Vicar Bishop of Istanbul, Monsignor Massimiliano Palinuro, emphasized that Tarsus is a special place for him, he said “My heart is tied to this church. I felt the divine call in this holy church. The Lord called me to Turkey! After returning to Italy from this holy place, I resigned from all my duties and came here saying to my Bishop, ‘The Lord wants me to Turkey. Today is a very special day for me.”
Pointing out that Tarsus is a sacred place for all of us, Monsignor Palinuro said; “Tarsus is a holy place because the Apostle Paul was born here in Tarsus. Let us thank the Lord that we too became Christians, thanks to the Apostle Paul.”
“Prayers for World Peace”
In addition to the Bishop and the priests, the participating youths also prayed in the name of ‘World Peace’. In particular, prayers were said to God for the end of the war in Ukraine and for peace to prevail in the whole world. The hymns sung together in Praise of God added enthusiasm and color to the holy liturgy. (SAT-7 Turk/İlyas Edip TERBİYELİ-İskenderun)
