A shrine dedicated to the Holy Eucharist in the parish of Balasar?

Lisbon, Feb 09 (Ecclesia) - The cooperative TUREL-TCR (Cultural and Religious Tourism) is promoting a contest for the design of "a shrine dedicated to the Holy Eucharist in the parish of Balasar, intimately linked to the life of Blessed Alexandrina (1904-1955).”

Called "Architecture in the Holy Places", the contest has "130 students enrolled, divided into 55 teams from eight different universities," said the Agency ECCLESIA’s Varicam Pereira, technical director of TUREL.

The work must be delivered by next May 20.

The parish of Balasar (Oporto), the District of Porto and Braga diocese, is known by many Portuguese Catholics by pilgrimages to the house and tomb of the blessed who lived and died there, the high altar by John Paul on April 26 2004.

The contest rules indicate that competitors must take into consideration "all available space to use and what the best solutions, not forgetting the necessary support services as toilets, car parks and support for pilgrims."

The building must be able to tender for around 2000 seats and has to maintain an ambient balance between the house with the Shrine of Blessed Alexandrina.

The Sanctuary will, therefore, be a "strong link between the shrine and tomb of the blessed."

The objective of this initiative is to foster, among students of architecture, "the revival and enhancement of buildings and sacred spaces and the awareness of the potential that these sites have to attract people."

We will award the best work for a religious building in concrete, "in compliance with all legal and regulatory restrictions applicable to the type of building."