Sacred Heart Cathedral Lawrence Road wins Belgian Heritage Award

Lahore: Provincial Minister for Minority Affairs & Human Rights Khalil Tahir Sandhu has said that Belgian Heritage Award by Belgium for Sacred Heart Cathedral Lawrence Road is a great honour for Pakistan.

He was addressing the function of Belgian Heritage Award at  Sacred Heart Cathedral Lawrence Road, here today. Ambassador of Belgium Frederic Verheydan, his wife, American Consul General Zachary Harken Rider, Belgian Consul General Karel Van Hecke, Honorary Consul General, Archbishop of Lahore Sebastian Shaw, Father Mani, Bishops, sisters and people attended the function in large numbers.

Special prayers function was arranged at Cathedral Church in connection with award ceremony in which Arch Bishop of Lahore especially prayed for the promotion of religious harmony, tolerance, peace and stability and security of the country.

Belgian Ambassador and American Consul General also addressed the function and congratulated Sacred Heart Cathedral on achieving Heritage Award. Khalil Tahir Sandhu said that on behalf of Chief Minister Punjab, he congratulates Christian Community and the entire nation for achieving Heritage Award.

He disclosed that Belgian Embassy in Brussels had received applications all over the world for Heritage Award, out of which three were selected and Sacred Heart Cathedral is one of them. He said that Sacred Heart Cathedral has a unique architecture which had been completed with the help of Belgium in 1907.

Khalil Tahir Sandhu said that the object of award is not only to appreciate ancient historical heritage but also to protect it in future. He further said that one hundred birthday of Sacred Heart Cathedral was arranged in 2007 and government of Pakistan had also launched special postal stamp of church photograph. Later, female students of the school presented guard of honor and colorful programmes.