Joined in spirit with the Local Church in Nigeria, Bigard Memorial Seminary Enugu, marked a solemn end of the celebration of the Centenary of the Appearance of the Blessed Virgin Mary to the three little children of Fatima, Portugal in 1917.
With 22 delegates sent to represent Bigard at the Grand Finale of the 1st National Marian Year and 3rd Marian Congress in Benin from 12th to 14th October, 2017, the Bigard family at home (consisting of the College of Formators, the Seminarians and Bigard Lay Workers) marked this historical event with a Holy Mass on Saturday morning, October 14, 2017.
Rev. Fr. Damian Udechukwu, who presided over the Mass, preached on the role of Mary in the salvation economy. Among other things, he recalled that while the first Eve heeded the message from Satan, the second Eve (the Blessed Virgin Mary) heeded the message from God through the Angel Gabriel. Thus, Mary conceived the Son and Lamb of God, gave birth to him, nurtured him and stood by him even as he was crucified on Calvary. Finally, Fr. Udechukwu urged all to be steadfast in praying the Holy Rosary for the intercessions of Mary.
The event continued in the evening with a Rosary procession from Blessed Iwene Tansi Auditorium, through the 2nd Avenue to the Seminary Main Chapel. With the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary solemnly sung in Igbo in addition to other hymns in honor of the Blessed Virgin, the celebration was brought to a successful end with the Vespers and Benediction.