While in many countries, the Jubilee of the anniversary of the Mother of Perpetual Help had been holding in the framework of the long-standing and traditional novenas to the Perpetual Help, the feast of our Mother in Albania was held for the first time in the 150 years since Pius IX gave us the task of making her known. In this land of mission, therefore, both celebrations joined and were celebrated, as the occasion deserved.
While it is true that our Mother of Perpetual Help (or as it is known in this place: Nëna e ndihmes së Perhershme) has not still a great popular devotion, but in that day all people wanted to participated in the celebration in honor of Our Lady.
A beautiful Church, full of flowers saw the presence of many faithful that were be able to understand the importance of this day and of this devotion for the Redemptorists.
For this important occasion we were very grateful for the presence of the Apostolic Nuncio in Albania, His Excellency Very Reverend Ramiro Moliner, that celebrated with great devotion and love the Eucharist in honor of Our Mother of Perpetual Help in the 150 anniversary.
It was, of course, a day full of emotion, joy, and a day of feast with the partecipation of many people, a special day that marked the beginning of the devotion to Our Mother of Perpetual Help in Albania. With this Icon we felt her eyes turned to Albanian lands.
Under her protection and her perpetual help we recommend the mission in Albania in order to may bear fruit abundantly. (Carlos Diego in NER July 2016)
In the Redemptorist parisch of Kamëz every Tuesday it was held the Novena to the Our Mother of Perpetual Help in front of the Icon. But her image it is in all the Churches that belong to the Redemptorist mission in Albania.
The Icon is venerated in the Redemptorist Church of Kamëz, the first community founded in this country, shortly after the visit of the Pope (September 2014), it was blessed in Poland to be venerated in Albania.
(Text and photos by Laureano Del Otero CSsR, Tirana)
