André de Crux – z”l


André served as a deacon in the Hebrew speaking communities for thirteen years before he returned to France. We learnt that he passed away recently.

andre de crux

André de Crux was born in Oran, in Algeria, in 1928. After Algerian independence, he moved to France, first to Clermont Ferrand and then to Limoges, where he worked as the director of human resources in a center belonging to the National Insurance. He dedicated his free time to voluntary work with the Knights of Malta. Later, he himself became a Knight.

After the death of his wife in 1988, he decided to come to Israel. After one year of Jewish studies in the former institute in Ratisbonne, he joined Father Paul, then responsible for the kehillah in Jaffa. When Father Paul transferred to Beer Sheba, André took responsibility for the kehillah in Jaffa and was ordained a deacon in Abu Ghosh by Patriarch Michel Sabbah. He this became the first permanent deacon in the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. He continued to serve as responsible for the Jaffa kehillah with great dedication, together with Sisters Myriam, Carmela and Eugenie. The priests at that time succeeded one another – Fathers Sebastien, Pierre Rendler and Juan-Manuel Moreno.

At the age of 75, he decided to return to France, to the region of Rocamadour. As a deacon, he put himself at the service of the diocese of Cahors, while following courses in theology by correspondence. Health problems obliged him to leave his “hermitage” for a hospitalized old folks’ home in Gramat. It was there that he passed away.

Those who remember him, recall a just, simple and fraternal man. May his memory be a blessing.

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