The Parish of Our Lady of Luján in Rosario (Argentina) now has a new altar dedicated to Saint Ezekiel Moreno, which invites prayer of intercession towards the saint, a model of missionary and pastor, as Saint John Paul II said when he canonized him in 1992.
The presence of Saint Ezekiel Moreno in the churches of the Augustinian Recollect Family throughout the world is frequent. The only Augustinian Recollect saint also has a characteristic that makes him especially close to many families worldwide: he is the special protector of cancer patients and their families.
Saint Ezekiel suffered from the disease in one of its most brutal forms, at a time when there were no painkillers to manage its effects. This nasopharyngeal cancer, after painful surgeries in the palate that failed to cure him, ultimately led to his death.
In the Recollect Parish of Rosario, there had been for several years a wooden image, placed on a humble pedestal in the left aisle of the church. It was the focus of the faithful’s devotion to Saint Ezekiel.
Among those who came to beg for the saint’s help was a former cancer patient who, in gratitude for his intercession and once his health was restored, wanted to offer him a more prominent place with a new altar, taking advantage of some works that were already being carried out and which he himself helped to finance.
The parish community presented a design and proposed the materials. The project was carried out entirely by residents of Rosario. Sisters Geraldine and Georgina Bürgi, an architect and an art restorer respectively, created the design; the execution was handled by the Marrone marble workshop; and the episcopal emblem, made of bronze, was crafted by Adrián Pérez.
Several sketches were presented before the final version was chosen, and three colors of marble were selected: ivory cream, forest brown, and Alicante red. Furthermore, the entire structure and final appearance respect the architectural style of the temple, a work by the prestigious architects Hilarión Hernández Larguía and Juan Manuel Newton.
They designed the building and its main furnishings (benches, doors, and railings) more than eighty years ago. They were also the architects of other important buildings in the city, such as the Castagnino Museum, Aricana, La Mercantil Rosarina (at San Lorenzo and Mitre), and houses in the Martin neighborhood, as well as the housing complex on Callao and the Monroe passage.
The new altar is already a privileged space for the devotion of the faithful and a source of comfort for those who ask for its intercession in difficult times.
