Priests from all over Eastern Europe celebrate the Eucharist in the new churchRascani is an extremely poor town in Moldova. In Rascani the Christian Faith was suppressed by the Nazis during the Second World War and by the Soviet Union and Communism up until recent times. Since 1991, when the Soviet troops left the town the faith started to emerge once again, although the people had no church or priest. In 2002, three Italian Franciscans went to Rascani to help with charitable works there. 
Locals pray in their new churchThe Franciscans not only served the poor with practical help but their spiritually which was their inspiration, was also called upon by the people and helped them to come slowly back to their faith. The faith interrupted by years of Nazi and Soviet oppression, may have been repressed, but it seems never really lost.
Locals pray in their new churchThe Franciscans not only served the poor with practical help but their spiritually which was their inspiration, was also called upon by the people and helped them to come slowly back to their faith. The faith interrupted by years of Nazi and Soviet oppression, may have been repressed, but it seems never really lost. 
Plaque on front of church to honour HUDTHUDT, ‘Help Us Dry The Tears’ was approached by the Franciscans in Rascani who asked our help to build a church there. We have completed the church, which is now our second Divine Mercy Church in Moldova, in this second town that hadn’t a church since the Nazi’s closed it in 1941. On the opening day we had clergy from all over Romania, Georgia, Lithuania, and many countries that experienced repression through the Communist occupation of their own countries.
The Church in the town includes a centre for the community. For the Franciscans it’s a centre from where they can organise their charitable works of mercy in which they are very active throughout the area. We thank all followers of the Divine Mercy Devotion for supporting and funding this project.