Hauts-de-Seine: "Le Jour du Seigneur" gives mass live from Antony

The broadcast was to take place from Beirut, Lebanon, but sanitary conditions did not allow the crews of the show “Le Jour du Seigneur” to go there.

However, there is no question of giving up supporting the Lebanese of the Catholic faith, and more generally the Christians of the East, for the program broadcast every Sunday morning since 1964 and on France 2 since 1987.

And it is finally in Antony (Hauts-de-Seine), at the Saint-Augustin church, that the production placed its six mobile cameras and two OB vans this Saturday to prepare for the retransmission of this Sunday which requires around thirty technicians.

"In this period of Lent, we had chosen as theme

Rise up

and, for us, the Lebanese people and the Christians of the East symbolize this theme", estimates Philippe Veyrac, in charge of the televised liturgy, who makes the link between the technical teams and the parish.

"We therefore sought a church with a large Lebanese community but in total immersion with the other communities," he adds.

Forty close-knit families

If the parish of Antony corresponds perfectly to these “criteria”, it is in particular thanks to Hoda Njeim, 58, who arrived in France in 1988. “My whole family still lives in Lebanon, in Beirut,” she explains.

But here, we have built a second family with the forty Lebanese families who belong to the parish.

»And which are therefore found on Sundays.

“But not only,” continues Hoda.

We also organize traditional festivals once a month and we offer Lebanese lessons to teach children about their roots.

"

Hoda Njieim, parishioner of Antony, is the local referent for the broadcast of the mass which will be dedicated to the Lebanese.

A.-SD  

For Hoda, who will be involved with the reading, in Arabic, of the first letter of Saint Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, the arrival of the “Day of the Lord” team is an event.

“This is an opportunity to show that Lebanon is in our hearts, everywhere,” she explains, when she has not been able to get to Beirut since the explosions in the city's port on the 4th. last August, which killed more than 200 people.

A "very important" symbol

And revived terrible memories, in a country marked by a war that lasted fifteen years, between 1975 and 1990. "I have no photo of my childhood, no object, everything has been destroyed", adds Hoda, who now organizes actions with the parish to help the inhabitants of Beirut.

"Actions with all the children of the catechism who will soon organize a race to raise funds for the reconstruction of an orphanage and a dispensary", she underlines.

For the mass this Sunday, the Lebanese families have mobilized widely, in particular for the songs of the choir.

Monsignor César Essayan, Apostolic Vicar of Beirut for Latin Rite Catholics, made the trip for the occasion.

"The links between France and Lebanon are very strong and this Mass, in the current situation of dangers, is very important", underlines the latter, just before the dress rehearsal.

Rehearsal in which technicians and musicians mingle, as well as the Lebanese singer Fadi Makhlouf, who regularly visits Saint-Augustin.

"We have found a little piece of Lebanon here, and we want it to light up this mass," adds Hoda.

Due to health restrictions, the forty families, or about a hundred people, have distributed the attendance permits.

For the others, it will be at home, in front of the television.