On Sunday June 27 at 4:00 p.m., a large-scale ceremony will take place, eagerly awaited by all Catholics in the Var: priestly and diaconal ordinations. Organized outdoors, in a green cathedral on the esplanade of the castle of La Castille, the purpose of these latter is to ordain 6 new priests and 3 deacons.
It is an important event in the life of the Diocese of Fréjus-Toulon: Sunday, June 27, new priests and deacons will be ordained. A magnificent ceremony open to all, up to a limit of 2,300 people. On this occasion, the public will attend a unique ritual.
After the opening of the celebration, each ordinand is traditionally called individually by the bishop to demonstrate in public his commitment to dedicate his life to the Church. Another highlight of the ceremony is the long Litany of Saints during which the ordinands bow down with their faces to the ground to signify their total surrender to God. Before putting on the chasuble, the bishop then consecrates each of them by the laying on of hands, in order to transmit the mission entrusted by Christ. A gesture then repeated by the 250 priests already ordained in the diocese.
An impressive procession which generally moves many witnesses present.
At the end of the ceremony, visitors will also be able to attend a very beautiful painting exhibition, organized by the association The painters of hope. The profit from the sales of the works will be entirely donated to the seminary of La Castille, for the training of priests.
An event in compliance with health rules
So that this great event can take place while respecting the safety of all, the Diocese of Fréjus-Toulon and the Domaine de La Castille ask that each person who came to attend it holds a health pass (i.e. a PCR test less than 72 hours, i.e. a complete vaccination), attesting in good faith to his state of health.
Once on the esplanade, visitors will be seated at a distance from each other, with compulsory masks. At the entrance, masks can also be provided by the guards to those who do not have them and hydroalcoholic gel will be made available.
Ordinations are a source of joy and hope and everyone is invited to attend. For those who could not be present, it is still possible to follow the event on the diocese’s Youtube channel, from 4 p.m.
written by Virginie Marrocq
To follow the ordinations online (Sunday June 27 from 4 p.m.), click here.
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