by Antonella Prenna
Ars-sur-Moselle – On Saturday, July 25, more than 200 faithful from different countries gathered at the church of Saint Martin in Ars-sur-Moselle, a French town of 4,838 inhabitants in the Moselle department. The occasion marked both the community’s patronal feast and the 35th anniversary of the priestly ordination of Bishop Aldo Berardi, O.SS.T., Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia .
The Eucharistic celebration took place in an atmosphere of deep participation in the very church where Bishop Berardi was baptized, confirmed, and ordained a priest.
Raised in the Schwalbach neighborhood, the prelate regularly returns to his hometown, where part of his family still lives.
The liturgy opened with the entrance of representatives of the Souvenir Français, an association founded in 1887 that is dedicated to caring for the graves of those who died for France, preserving memorial monuments, and passing on the nation’s historical memory to younger generations. The flag bearers led the procession, pausing before the altar and lowering the national flags as a sign of tribute.
In his homily, commenting on the Gospel according to Matthew , with the parables of the hidden treasure and the precious pearl, Bishop Berardi spoke about Christian identity rooted in Christ and the importance of placing Him at the center of one’s life and choices. “Our only treasure is Christ,” he said, recalling that this had been the fundamental choice of his life since childhood, and giving thanks to the Lord for “thirty-five years of blessings and grace” experienced in his priestly ministry.
Among the concelebrants were Philippe Ballot, Archbishop-Bishop of Metz, Abbot Jérôme Petitjean, parish priest of Saint Martin, and numerous priests from Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Mexico, Canada, and Italy. Also attending the celebration were the representative of Qatar to UNESCO, the Mayor of Ars-sur-Moselle, and local civil authorities.
Saint Martin’s fortified church, built during the Middle Ages on the site of the ancient fortified town, was destroyed in 1807 and rebuilt in 1816. As a child, the future bishop often stopped to pray before the statue of Our Lady of the Mance, a depiction of Our Lady of Loreto that was saved during the French Revolution. Above the statue is a small stained-glass window depicting Saint Arethas, who was beheaded together with his companions, the Martyrs of Najran.
Bishop Berardi has a particular devotion to Saint Arethas and his companions. On December 10, 2023, during the feast of the dedication of the Cathedral of Awali in Bahrain—one of the countries, together with Qatar, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia, that form the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia—the bishop placed a relic of Saint Arethas in the altar of the Cathedral dedicated to Our Lady of Arabia .
In recent years, devotion to the Martyrs of Najran has received renewed impetus. Between 2023 and 2024, the Jubilee marking the 1,500th anniversary of their martyrdom was celebrated . In July 2026, the Holy See approved the proper liturgical texts for their celebration in the Apostolic Vicariates of the Arabian Peninsula .
At the conclusion of the Solemn Mass, participants, together with representatives of the Souvenir Français, reached the war memorial, next to the church of Saint Martin, where, in the presence of civil and religious authorities, tribute was paid to those who gave their lives in war, accompanied by a brass band.
Following the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871, Ars-sur-Moselle, like the whole of Alsace-Moselle, was annexed to the German Empire and renamed Ars an der Mosel. It remained under German administration until the end of the First World War, when the territory was returned to France under the Treaty of Versailles in 1919.
“This area,” Bishop Berardi told Fides, “has experienced three wars and two annexations. We hope that Pope Leo, during his visit to Metz next September 28, will recall this territory as an example of reconciliation among peoples.”
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