Tuesday 24 May 2016

Cocktails and Dinner

The Grand Master

As well as the Mass and Investiture, 
the 350th anniversary of the Order in Belgium 
was celebrated with a cocktail party and a splendid dinner.

The Grand Prior of Belgium making us welcome.

Cocktails were served in the Napoleon Room of 
Le Cercle Catholique
on the Cathedral Square.

HE Matthew Jackson, 
Grand Secretary and our own Marshal, 
enjoys the refreshments.

   Abbé Serge de Cauwer shares a light-hearted moment 
with the Chaplain General from Great Britain.

 Petr Řehoř from the Czech Republic and Matthew Jackson.

 
Don Cyrille Bachelfort greets Princess Léa of Belgium.

  Prince Laurent of Belgium arrives 
and is welcomed by Prince Charles-Phillipe and Damien Van Bellinghen.

A presentation of  some champagne "St Lazare".

 

 A few familiar faces from Great Britain with Prince Charles-Phillipe.



Guests of honour, including Princess Lea of Belgium, Princess Marie Gabrielle of Savoy 
and Mr Maxime Prevot, Vice President of the Walloon Government.

A Gala Dinner followed in the smart setting of Castle Cercle de Wallonie 
in the Namur Citadel.




HE Nigel Sterland, Treasurer to the Grand Magistry.

Pierre Piccinin da Prata, writer and war reporter
and member of the Belgian Grand Priory.








With thanks to François de Ribaucourt for kind permission to use his photographs.


Monday 23 May 2016

Mass in Namur Cathedral for the 350th Anniversary of the Order of St Lazarus in Belgium

 
 The Entrance Procession of Knights and Dames led by the thurifer.
Introibo ad altare Dei.

The Grand Priory of the Kingdom of Belgium and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg held splendid events in the city of Numur, capital of the Province of Wallonia last weekend. This post will concentrate on the Mass celebrated in St Aubain's Cathedral and focuses in particular on those who travelled from the Grand Priory of Great Britain to join in the festivities. Further posts to follow.

 The postulants arriving.



Members of the Grand Magistry and Heads of Jurisdictions.

 Mass was celebrated by Archpriest of the Cathedral, Canon Jean-Marie Huet.

 Grand Masters past and present.


H.E. Cev. Matthew Jackson, Grand Secretary, reads the Epistle.

Chaplain to the Order, Don Cyrille Bachelfort, proclaims the Gospel and preaches.


The Investiture is announced.


 Blessing the Insignia for the new members.


The Grand Master welcomes Abbé Serge de Cauwer as a new Chaplain.

 
Insignia granting can be a delicate business.

 The spendid cathederal of St Aubain.
Interestingly, in 1908 it was a Belgian architect, 
Charles Ménart, 
who used the cathedral as his inspiration for St Aloysius Church, in Glasgow 
(which has a fine depiction of St Lazarus in its mortuary chapel).

 The music for the Mass was sung by Les Petite Chanteurs de Belgique.

 Ite! Missa est.

Some of the members of the Order pose for a group photograph on the Cathedral steps after Mass.

The Mass setting was composed by this young man, 
Mario Macedo from Brazil,
Missa Sancti Lazari
A wonderful setting based on plainchant 
but with added harmonies and embellishments.

 The (surely exhausted) singers.

With thanks to François de Ribaucourt for kind permission to use his photographs.