The bicentennial celebration of the foundation of the Marist Brothers will be launched with a mass at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Suva at 7  tonight.

The celebration launch will also coincide with the Feast Day of Saint Marcellin Joseph Benedict Champagnat, who is the founder of the Marist Brothers, marking his death anniversary on June 6, 1840 .

Marist Brother Fergus Garrett said the brothers whom Saint Marcellin started were now in nearly 80 countries around the world.

“If I travel overseas to Korea I can meet the brothers there. So it’s a gift to the world through Marcellin Champagnat,” he said.

This launch will also begin the build-up celebrations to January 2, 2017 marking the day the Marist Brothers group was formed.

“The 200th year of the brothers’ existence from the date it was founded in France comes up next January so we are getting ready for that. It’s quite a big celebration,” he said.

Brother Garrett said the Marist Brothers in Fiji were at present few in numbers.

“In Fiji, there’s some coming and going and some are temporary at the moment. But there are three permanent brothers at Lomary and four of us in Suva.

“So altogether there are seven,” he said.

The first Marist Brothers, who specialised in teaching, came to Fiji in 1888. The brothers later pioneered multiracial education for boys and are now operating five educational institutions in Suva.

Edited by Rusiate Mataika

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