The Prime Minister of St. Maarten the Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams joined Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Nicola Girasoli in the unveiling and dedication of the specially commissioned statue of the country’s patron Saint Maarten of Tours on Sunday, St. Maarten’s Day.
His Excellency the Archbishop, who is the emissary of the pope, was joined by Monseigneur Bishop Luis Secco of the Archdiocese of Willemstad and Father Reverend Robert Johnson. In his comments during the unveiling His Excellency the Archbishop commented that it was with great joy that he was able to attend the event and celebrate the feast of the country’s patron Saint Saint Martin of Tours. Your patron saint provided an example of a good and ideal pastor. His love for the poor and those in need should become some of the priorities of the apostolate in your parish. As the humble representative of the Holy Father in the Caribbean Region I thank the Prime Minister and the parish for your countless social work in the community, stated His Excellency the Archbishop.
The Prime Minister, after unveiling the statue, commented that Saint Martin of Tourism Legacy is celebrated in many parts of the world but is especially endearing to the community of St. Maarten. The offering of his coat to a beggar is legendary, but his sharing and compassion reached beyond the material garment that famed his memory. His spiritual guidance and outreach had a lasting impact and his remembrances takes on a renewed significance, as the statue in his honor is unveiled on this 2012 St. Maarten’s Day. Let this unveiling remind us of the innate goodness of man and the Christian Faith that teaches us that we are our brother’s keep.Stated the Prime Minister.
On January 24th, 2006 Pope Benedict XVI, appointed H.E. Msgr. Nicola Girasoli, Titular Archbishop of Egnazia Appula and Apostolic Nuncio-Vatican Ambassador to Zambia and Malawi. He was ordained Bishop on March 11th, 2006 in Ruvo (Bari) and from 2006-2011 Apostolic Nuncio- Holy See-Vatican Ambassador to Zambia and Malawi. ¨On the 29th October 2011 he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio and Vatican Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Jamaica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Guyana and Apostolic Delegate in the Antilles Archbishop Girasoli speaks fluently English, French and Spanish, and has a good knowledge of German and has published several studies on minority rights.
