January 29, 2012.(Romereports.com) Since 1991, an organization known as “Luci Sull' Est” made it a point to promote Christian values by giving away religious books to the persecuted.

The project began after the fall of the Berlin Wall, when a group of friends traveled to communist countries in Eastern Europe. There, they discovered that for years, Christians were denied access to religious books.


Juan Miguel Montes
Founding Member of"Luci Sull 'Est"
“We met with many Catholics who were happy about the project.  But we wanted a long term action. It was clear that the Soviet Union was collapsing, so there were more opportunities to collaborate.”

And that's how “Luci Sull 'Est,” was born.  Since then the group has distributed over four million religious books worldwide.  Among them is one titled “The Apparitions and Messages of Fatima.” In fact, over 1 million copies of that book have been distributed.

The goal is for all Christians, specifically those that lived without religious freedom to learn about God. The founders says they want the books to become “The Light of the East.” Now their mission is even bigger.

Juan Miguel Montes
Founding Member of "Luci Sull 'Est"
“They asked us to do the same thing we did in Eastern countries, which was to take an image, the image you see here behind me, a statue of Our Lady of Fatima, to Italian parishes, hospitals, prisons, nursing homes, and schools.”

“Luci Sull' Est” works in over 20 countries. The books reach troubled areas like Afghanistan and Iraq and the publications are always welcomed by military chaplains.

Juan Miguel Montes
Founding Member of "Luci Sull 'Est"
“We've sent a good amount of religious material to Italian troops and also to local Christian communities. Also to Muslims of good will who are also interested in these things.”

In addition to giving out books, in 2010,  the organization took part in the construction of a Cathedral in Karaganda, which is the fourth largest city in Kazakhstan. After requesting donations, “Luci Sull' Est” gathered about $260,000.

In Karaganda there was a Russian concentration camp where thousands of Christians were killed  because of their faith. Bishops decided it was the best place to build a great church to honor the martyrs.

As part of its work, “Luci Sull 'Est” organizes conferences that deal with the persecution of Christians.

Juan Miguel Montes
Founding Member of "Luci Sull 'Est"
“In China there are bishops who are imprisoned right now. We don't talk about this very much, but we should. It reminds me of something a bishop said during the communist rule. He said “The silence of the Church has fallen on the Church of Silence.”

The mission of  “Luci Sull 'Est” is clear. Wherever someone has the need to read about Jesus Christ, they are encouraged to contact the association.


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