Hope and Confidence

Two Holy Masses were celebrated by Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro, Cardinal Orani Tempesta, at the foot of Christ the Redeemer statue, the symbol of Rio de Janeiro. Mass attendees were praying for the Brazilian COVID-19 pandemic victims and their relatives. According to the official figures, released the second weekend of August, coronavirus fatalities have exceeded hundred thousand so far, while there are some 3 million of confirmed infections.
The first Holy celebration was broadcasted by the Rede Globo Brazilian television network, while the second one was available on the Brazilian Catholic Bishop’s Conference (CNBB) website as well as on other Catholic news sites.
The Holy Celebration was initiated by the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro, the Brazilian Catholic Bishop’s Conference together with the Caritas Brazil and supported by the „Verified” project, the United Nations’ collaborative fact- checking campaign to combat the increasing volume of misinformation. The event was scheduled for the past month, though had to be postponed due to extreme weather conditions. Cardinal Tempesta commemorated the victims lost in the COVID-19. In terms of the current situation he drew attention to the responsibility of all humans.

„Though we have a hundred thousand fatalities, and some 3 million have been contaminated so far, we have to pray for every life, since each one of us has its own history.’

„Although the Brazilian death cases have mounted up to a hundred thousand, and already 3 million people have been infected, we actually want to express all our hope and confidence that every human is important.
Moreover, we are all responsible for our actions and behaviours both in Brazil and across the world.” Wrapping up the celebration a video was played in which Cardinal José Tolentino Mendonça’s poem was performed by actor Tony Ramos.

Source and photo: SIR hírügynökség Magyar Kurír