"Death and life are faced each other in an admirable duel. The Guide of life, though death, is alive and reigns. Christ, our hope, is risen, he will precede his people in Galilee".
The words of the Easter Sequence, sung before the Alleluia of the Resurrection, could not better illustrate the joy that prevailed this morning at the Holy Sepulchre.
Christ is alive! The empty tomb is the sign of His victory over death.
One must be in Jerusalem to understand how the mystery of Redemption is joyfully celebrated.
A large crowd came to the Mass presided over by the Patriarch, a sign that this festival is very popular here. The usual parishioners, pilgrims, visiting priests and off course, many Franciscans were present in numbers.
True to tradition, the Holy Sepulchre echoed a thousand sounds: Orthodox bells, Latin organ singing gloriously the joy of Resurrection, Coptic praying behind the Edicule, pilgrim groups, and even Armenian and Syriac services.
In fact, today is Palm Sunday for the Orthodox churches.
A joyous confusion once again shows that the Holy Sepulchre is the Basilica of those who put their faith in Christ, the Christian people believing in the Messiah's victory over death.
While the Pontifical Easter Mass was celebrated by the Romans in front of the empty tomb, several low Masses followed one another within the Edicule. The Custos of the Holy Land, his Custodial Vicar and then the Apostolic Nuncio, Mgr. Lazzaroto, each one said Mass at the place of the Resurrection itself. A French young volunteer who participated in one of these Masses, said: "I was really moved. I felt like something burning inside me. Be here this day, before Christ present in the host ..."
For all of the small Christian flock in the Middle East, it is impossible not to think about the persecuted brethren in Iraq and Syria. The Patriarch wanted to give a message of courage and confidence. "Let us arm ourselves, brothers and sisters, with Faith, courage and joy of our encounter with Jesus, to announce to all our brothers His resurrection and victory..." he said in his homily. “Christians, we are called to the heart of this region of the Middle East, shaken by wars and bloodied by violence, to be signs of contradiction, signs of hope beyond everything. Our future in this region and in the world is uncertain and even obscure, but do not be afraid, Christ warned us and He is "with us until the end of days."
The joy of Easter does not end on Resurrection Sunday. For a week, the Church celebrates the Octave of Easter with the same solemnity. On Holy Monday, the Brothers minor will go on pilgrimage to Emmaus.
But above all, the Christian people continue to celebrate throughout the year the mystery of redemption at the Holy Sepulchre, where joy will never stop.
Christ is risen, He is truly risen!
Happy Easter to everyone!
Nicolas Kimmel
The words of the Easter Sequence, sung before the Alleluia of the Resurrection, could not better illustrate the joy that prevailed this morning at the Holy Sepulchre.
Christ is alive! The empty tomb is the sign of His victory over death.
One must be in Jerusalem to understand how the mystery of Redemption is joyfully celebrated.
A large crowd came to the Mass presided over by the Patriarch, a sign that this festival is very popular here. The usual parishioners, pilgrims, visiting priests and off course, many Franciscans were present in numbers.
True to tradition, the Holy Sepulchre echoed a thousand sounds: Orthodox bells, Latin organ singing gloriously the joy of Resurrection, Coptic praying behind the Edicule, pilgrim groups, and even Armenian and Syriac services.
In fact, today is Palm Sunday for the Orthodox churches.
A joyous confusion once again shows that the Holy Sepulchre is the Basilica of those who put their faith in Christ, the Christian people believing in the Messiah's victory over death.
While the Pontifical Easter Mass was celebrated by the Romans in front of the empty tomb, several low Masses followed one another within the Edicule. The Custos of the Holy Land, his Custodial Vicar and then the Apostolic Nuncio, Mgr. Lazzaroto, each one said Mass at the place of the Resurrection itself. A French young volunteer who participated in one of these Masses, said: "I was really moved. I felt like something burning inside me. Be here this day, before Christ present in the host ..."
For all of the small Christian flock in the Middle East, it is impossible not to think about the persecuted brethren in Iraq and Syria. The Patriarch wanted to give a message of courage and confidence. "Let us arm ourselves, brothers and sisters, with Faith, courage and joy of our encounter with Jesus, to announce to all our brothers His resurrection and victory..." he said in his homily. “Christians, we are called to the heart of this region of the Middle East, shaken by wars and bloodied by violence, to be signs of contradiction, signs of hope beyond everything. Our future in this region and in the world is uncertain and even obscure, but do not be afraid, Christ warned us and He is "with us until the end of days."
The joy of Easter does not end on Resurrection Sunday. For a week, the Church celebrates the Octave of Easter with the same solemnity. On Holy Monday, the Brothers minor will go on pilgrimage to Emmaus.
But above all, the Christian people continue to celebrate throughout the year the mystery of redemption at the Holy Sepulchre, where joy will never stop.
Christ is risen, He is truly risen!
Happy Easter to everyone!
Nicolas Kimmel