Posted on 06/21/2004 1:31:17 AM PDT by weegie
Abu Dhabi: The Italian President has honoured Father Daniele Cerofolini, an 83-year-old Dubai parish priest, with the Order of the Solidarity Star.
Father Daniele was given the Order of the Solidarity Star by Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, President of the Republic of Italy, in recognition of his charitable activities.
Domenico Pedata, Italian Ambassador to the UAE, handed over the award to him during an official ceremony held at his residence a few days ago.
The honour has come at a time when Father Daniele is preparing to leave the country for Italy after serving the community here for over 30 years.
The Catholic community along with a congregation of priests and sisters will attend his farewell party to be held on Friday at St Mary's church, Dubai.
The award has also been bestowed on Sister Fosca Berardi, director of St Mary's Catholic High School in Fujairah, and Sister Maria Beatrice Mariotti, Principal of St Mary's Catholic High School in Dubai.
All three have been engaged in charitable and educational activities in Asia and Africa since the early days. The award is conferred on Italian nationals or expatriates for their charitable services around the world.
"It is an important award for all three of them who served the communities where they were living," said Bishop Bernardo Giovanni Gremoli, Apostolic Vicar for the Arabian Peninsula.
There are around 250,000 Christian Catholics in the UAE, mainly Filipinos, Indians, Arabs and Westerners, who enjoy religious freedom.
"We have very good relations with local authorities and we are grateful to President His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who has always been supportive and has allowed us to be here and serve our community."
Father Daniele served in India for 25 years between 1947 and 1971. He was appointed to the Agra district and worked for a long time in a leper colony at Dehradun, helping patients to build up a cooperative society.
After staying for two years in Tanzania, he came to the UAE in 1973, as a parish priest in Dubai.
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