THE ALTAR ‘THE STAR FROM KAZAKHSTAN’
BOGUSLAW OLSZONOWICZ
In the sanctuary of Our Lady, the Queen of Peace in Oziornoje in Kazakhstan, on 2 July there were annual ceremonies to the worship of the Patron of this place. At that time, the newly built chapel was sanctified in which an altar of adoration of the Holiest Sacrament ‘The star of Kazakhstan’ was installed. The Holy Mass was concelebrated by the apostolic nuncio in Kazakhstan archbishop Miguela M. Buenda, the Chair of the Conference of Catholic Bishops in Kazakhstan archbishop Tomasz Peta, the representative of the Polish Episcopate bishop Jerzy Mazur and priests working in Kazakhstan were presided over by cardinal Robert Sarah.
There were also representatives of state authorities of Kazakhstan, whereas the Embassy of the Polish Republic in Kazakhstan was represented by the ambassador Malgorzata Tanska.
In the homily cardinal Sarah pointed to the significance of a prayer to the Holiest Sacrament. – This sanctuary becomes a particular place for meeting of people with alive God and prayers for peace through the intercession of Mary, the Queen of Peace – he said.
At the end of the Eucharistic Sacrifice, bishop Jerzy Mazur gave a speech, and, speaking to believers, he emphasized that his participation in this ceremony is an expression of his priestly concern about people’s finding way to God. – I want to thank those who work in this country, all priests and nuns, on behalf of the Polish Episcopate, for their ministry thanks to which this sanctuary is a place where one can entrust all human concerns and problems to God through the intercession of Mary – he said.
The altar ‘The star of Kazakhstan’ is a physical sign of the initiative of promoting an adoration prayer in the intention of peace in human hearts and in the world through the Association Communita Regina della Pace. Its president Piotr Ciolkiewicz noted that this altar is a gift of the Church in Poland for the Church in Kazakhstan. He also noted that ‘it is also a gift of sacrifice and prayer of many Poles for Kazakhstan’. Addressing the Chair of the Conference of Catholic Bishops in Kazakhstan, he said: - I would like to thank archbishop Tomasz Peca, that he invited us here so that we could come to Oziornoje with this work for the sake of peace.
The altar of adoration ‘The Star of Kazakhstan’ was made in workshop of artists from Gdansk Mariusz and his son Kamil Drapikowski. Mariusz Drapikowski, present in Oziornoje, explaining the iconographic symbolism included in this artistic realization, which is supposed to serve to the prayer in the intention of peace, he pointed to inspiration which is the teaching of St. John Paul II for him.
– It is Our Lady who points to Christ who is the light of the world, the source of real peace – he emphasized. – Oziornoje is a place full of prayer, therefore, this altar got to this place in order to fill it in with the prayer for peace – he added.
Before blessing archbishop Peta said: - We all entrust this work to Our Lady and we thank for what happened earlier and is happening in Oziornoje now. Let Mary take our gratitude to the throne of her Son. She never forgets about anybody. Let Her bless us and as the Star of Kazakhstan, let Her lead us on the shortest way to God.
(AA)
"Niedziela" 29/2014