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Holy Land: Catholic parishes and schools switch to solar energy


State-of-the-art panels soak up desert sunshine

State-of-the-art panels soak up desert sunshine

Schools, parishes and other institutions of the Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem are switching to solar power. After a successful pilot project launched two years ago in Palestine in the patriarchal schools in Beit Jala, Beit Sahour and Ramallah, the Patriarchate has now announced that it will be installing solar panels in the schools of the Jordanian city of Wasiyeh, Madaba and Karak.

A spokesman for the Patriarchate said the introduction of solar power energy systems reduces electricity bills and saves money for other activities. He said the initiative is itself a great opportunity to raise students' awareness about ecology and renewable energy and prevent the emission of carbon dioxide.

The Latin Catholic Church of the Twelve Apostles in Zarqa was the first parish in the Middle East that used the sun to produce energy through solar panels.

Fr Elias Kurzum said: "The idea came to me in the summer. The sun here in the desert in June, July and August makes us suffer the heat. I thought, why not try to exploit it."

The pilot project at the parish of the Twelve Apostles was made possible thanks to the contribution of Oeuvre d'Orient, a French organization that supports the Middle Eastern Christian communities.

Read more about Oeuvre d'Orient, here: www.oeuvre-orient.fr/

Source: Fides/Oeuvre d'Orient

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