After the tragic fire that devastated the San Antonio de Padua parish and the Franciscan convent of Iquique (Chile), the local Bishop, Mons. Isauro Covili Linfati, sent words of encouragement to the community, while the causes of the fire are investigated.
In a video message Recorded this Saturday in the vicinity of the temple destroyed by flames, the prelate acknowledged having gone through “this most complex and painful situation of the loss of this temple,” which he described as a “tremendous drama.”
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In this context, he sent “words of encouragement to the entire community and hope.”
“It is true that this place in San Antonio is an emblematic place, significant in the heart and life of the city and the commune, and also of the region. There are so many brothers, hundreds and thousands of brothers who are linked to this place by their faith, by their affection, by family history,” he highlighted.
For this reason, he encouraged us to live this time as a mourning and from there “to be able to recover as people and also recover the place, God willing, in the future,” he hoped, hoping that this experience “will allow us to meet, meet again, allow us to unite more.” daily”.
At that point, the prelate remembered the Franciscan brothers who arrived from Belgium at the beginning of the 20th century, as well as the Chileans and Peruvians who worked “so that this place continues to be significant in the hearts and lives of all of us.”
Despite the sadness, Bishop Covili Linfati assured that the Church is hopeful, “because from the experience of grief we can repair ourselves, and repair and conquer freedom.”
Likewise, he hoped that the presence of the Franciscans “can continue in this place, so that this place continues to be so significant, because the city is understood from here, from this point,” he assured.
The church of San Antonio de Padua, he considered, is “a place of pilgrimage for the poor, for those who had no bread and came for the bread of San Antonio, to celebrate their faith, to renew their hope, in the midst of limitations and of the poverty of each one.”
For this reason, he encouraged: “Let us meet, let us meet again to continue being the Church, to continue being the people of God, to continue longing for dreams and longing for a better life for everyone and especially for the poorest.”
They investigate the possibility of arson
The Investigative Brigade of Crimes Against the Environment and Cultural Heritage (Bidema) of Arica is in charge of the investigation to try to clarify the causes of the fire.
Within this framework, they evaluate the heritage damage caused by the fire, focusing not only on the spiritual relevance of the place, but also on the cultural and historical value for the community.
The head of the Brigade, subprefect Maritza Cossio Rodríguez, highlighted that “the parish is a National Monument, declared a Historical Monument since October 25, 1994, and it is our responsibility to investigate this type of incidents,” explains the Chilean portal. Pure News.
In addition, he explained that action is being taken “to determine if there was participation of third parties and to establish responsibilities in this incident.”
The same portal points out that a day before, according to the report of some community believers, a small fire had been controlled that did not cause major problems.
Juliet Villar
I am a journalist, with a degree in communication from the National University of La Matanza in Argentina. I have work experience in non-governmental organizations. Since 2016 I have been dedicated to Catholic journalism, first at the Argentine Catholic Information Agency (AICA) and, since 2022, as ACI Prensa correspondent for Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Bolivia.