AFRICA/IVORY COAST - A festival to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Evangelization of the Ivory Coast

Friday, 11 October 2019 evangelization   anniversaries  

Abidjan (Agenzia Fides) - The Catholic Church in Ivory Coast is preparing to celebrate the 125th year of evangelization next year. On October 28, 1895, fathers Alexandre Hamard and Emile Bonhomme, the first missionaries of the Society of African Missions (SMA) arrived in Grand-Bassam, in the south-east of the Ivory Coast.
Radio Espoir, the diocesan radio of the city of Grand Bassam, has organized the first festival of praise and worship entitled "Festi Eclat 2019" at the Palace of Culture in Treichville from 19 to 20 October 2019.
"With this important event, we want to give value to our Church in a framework that combines business with pleasure. We therefore have the gastronomic village, concert, religious market and many other interesting activities", says Joëlle Andrée Libi, general commissioner of 'Festi Eclat 2019'."
One of the highlights of the event is the opening of the first museum of the history of evangelization in the Ivory Coast in the hall of the Palace of Culture. "It will be an opportunity to discover, beyond stories and testimonies, images and religious objects that have contributed to the rooting of the Gospel in our Country", underlines Joëlle Libi.
The project is supported by the Ivorian Episcopate, under the patronage of His Exc. Mgr. Ignace Bessi Dogbo, Bishop of Katiola, President of the Bishops’ Conference.
Knowing the history of the Catholic Church is above all a gratifying challenge. That is why for this first edition, "Festi Eclat 2019" forsees over 5,000 visitors. Open to all, thanks to historical, cultural and religious aspects, the festival will undoubtedly attract the attention of Ivorians. (S.S.) (Agenzia Fides, 11/10/2019)


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