Mgr Max Leroy Mésidor returns to Port-au-Prince cathedral after five-year absence
The archbishop led the Assumption Mass at the transitional cathedral on August 15, his first celebration there since April 2021.
Archbishop of Port-au-Prince Mgr Max Leroy Mésidor presided over the Mass for the solemnity of the Assumption on Saturday, August 15, at the capital's transitional cathedral, according to Le Nouvelliste. It marked his first celebration in those grounds in roughly five years. His last recorded service there dated to April 2021, for the Chrism Mass, the outlet reported. Le Nouvelliste attributed the prolonged absence to the insecurity affecting downtown Port-au-Prince, which had driven both clergy and worshippers away from the cathedral. A parishioner who lives in the neighborhood described a warm reception, telling the outlet that parishioners welcomed the archbishop with great joy. The full account of the return was published behind Le Nouvelliste's subscriber login, limiting further verified detail. The return of a senior clergy figure to the historic site is being read by residents as a notable moment for a district that has been heavily affected by armed violence in recent years, according to the report.