Brussels, 26/09/2001 (Agence Europe) - The former "Chapelle Van Maerlant" that has now been renamed the "Chapelle de la Résurrection" after a EUR 1.5 million restoration process (paid for from private donations), was officially inaugurated on Tuesday by an oecumenical service of Anglicans, Catholics, Protestants and Orthodox Christians. The renovated building houses an oecumenical prayer house and is "active testimony" to the message of Christian commitment to the construction of Europe, explained the people who had initiated the project at a press conference, namely Jérome Vignon, President of the Chapel's board of directors and Senior Advisor to the European Commission, Keith Jenkins, President of the Chapel's Oecumenical Advisory Committee and Guy Martinot, a Catholic lay reader. The Catholic and Lutheran Churches of Finland can carry out their services in the chapel, as can the Belgian Orthodox Church, the United Protestant Church of Belgium, the German Evangelical Church and the Conference of European Churches.
Mr Martinot stressed the fact that the purchase (EUR 625 000), restoration and fitting out (EUR 875 000) of the chapel had been financed solely by donations and contributions from individuals and civil and religious institutions (Catholic, Protestant and Oecumencial). He explained that it was important for them not to depend on EU subsidies, if only as a result of the reactions that might have caused. The founders of the project received financial aid from the Belgian bishops, the King Baudouin Foundation and the Bank of Belgium.