On 25 December, the Brno-střed municipal district, in cooperation with the Christian community of Sant’Egidio, hosted a traditional Christmas get-together for the needy and homeless of Brno.
The Christmas lunch was held in the festively decorated hall of the Brno-střed district, where 200 guests were served hot drinks, beef broth, svíčkova in cream with dumplings, and sugar biscuits.
“This is a traditional event that we like to participate in, which is a part of the Christmas season,” said Pavel Studeník (KDU-ČSL), district councillor for social affairs. “Not everyone is lucky enough to spend the holidays with family and loved ones. Those who came not only had lunch together and spent pleasant moments, but also sang carols and received small gifts, containing warm clothes, hygiene products and other nice things.”
The Christmas lunch was held at the town hall on Dominikánská for the fifth time this year. The food was donated by donors who contributed to a transparent account or participated in collections in Brno parishes. The lunch was divided into three blocks, the first two at the district hall, the third in l’Eau Vive restaurant under Petrov Cathedral.
Almost 80 volunteers were involved, including employees of the district office, as well as the Sant’Egidio community, which has long been dedicated to supporting the poor and homeless.
“It is very important for our entire community that we can sit down at the same table with our friends during the holidays and forget about everyday worries for a while,” said Marek Caha from the Sant’Egidio community, the main organizer of the charity event. “It is always a nice meeting in a friendly atmosphere. We have been cooperating with the invited friends, who include homeless and needy people, for a long time and we meet with them every week.”
Sant’Egidio was founded in 1968 in Rome with the goal of putting practical care for the poor at the forefront of life, in keeping with the teachings of the Christian Gospel. A festive lunch for the needy is one of the main traditional events of the year, and is maintained among the community all over the world.
