On Monday, December 28, in the grotto beneath St. Catherine’s Church in Bethlehem, the Franciscans commemorated the maryrdom the Holy Innocents. Tradition holds that this is the location of the tomb of the children younger than two years old who were killed by Herod after Christ’s birth.
The mass was presided over by the Custodial Vicar, Br. Dobromir Jasztal. Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem were initiated by the Custos on the first Sunday of Advent, and the season will come to an end with the feast of the Epiphany on January 6. Meanwhile, it is the Custody’s tradition for the vicar to celebrate the Feast of the Holy Innocents.
The atmosphere was intimate. All were invited, but the gathering was only composed of about sixty people: religious of local communities, and some pilgrims visiting parishioners. That is already a large about of people for the grotto. The faithful had togo up the stairs as well as into the adjacent grotto of Saint Jerome. Only twenty Franciscans were present. The anticipation of Christmas could be felt once again: Manger Squarewas almost empty, and security services and pilgrims had already left. But the decorations were still there, and the joy of Christmas could still be found in the prayers of the Christian faithful. Just like in Bethlehem...thesongs remind us that we are still in the Christmas octave.
The tradition of the Feast of the Holy Innocents dates back to the fourth century, explained Br. Dobromir in his homily. If in the beginning, sadness prevailed due to the martyrdom of so many innocent children, the victims of Herod’s cruelty, the feast now takes on a cheerful character by their witness to the Son of God,” he added. In fact, the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 2: 13-18) points out that this is how “was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet: ‘A voice was heard in Ramah, sobbing and loud lamentation; Rachel weeping for her children, and she would not be consoled, since they were no more.” The death of the Holy Innocents allowed the Scriptures to be fulfilled. Although they were unable to profess the name of Christ, they were glorified by the grace of His birth.
“The grotto is adjacent to that of Jesus’ Nativity,” continued Br. Dobromir in his homily. “The Death of Innocents reveals a great truth: the evil of the sinner, like Herod, sows hatred and death, while the love of the just and innocent, like Jesus’, bears fruit, life and salvation.” If the path our life is always accompanied by light and dark—which is brought up in John 1: 5 to 2,2—it is up to us to choose between the path of Light brought by Christ and that of darkness.
HM
The mass was presided over by the Custodial Vicar, Br. Dobromir Jasztal. Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem were initiated by the Custos on the first Sunday of Advent, and the season will come to an end with the feast of the Epiphany on January 6. Meanwhile, it is the Custody’s tradition for the vicar to celebrate the Feast of the Holy Innocents.
The atmosphere was intimate. All were invited, but the gathering was only composed of about sixty people: religious of local communities, and some pilgrims visiting parishioners. That is already a large about of people for the grotto. The faithful had togo up the stairs as well as into the adjacent grotto of Saint Jerome. Only twenty Franciscans were present. The anticipation of Christmas could be felt once again: Manger Squarewas almost empty, and security services and pilgrims had already left. But the decorations were still there, and the joy of Christmas could still be found in the prayers of the Christian faithful. Just like in Bethlehem...thesongs remind us that we are still in the Christmas octave.
The tradition of the Feast of the Holy Innocents dates back to the fourth century, explained Br. Dobromir in his homily. If in the beginning, sadness prevailed due to the martyrdom of so many innocent children, the victims of Herod’s cruelty, the feast now takes on a cheerful character by their witness to the Son of God,” he added. In fact, the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 2: 13-18) points out that this is how “was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet: ‘A voice was heard in Ramah, sobbing and loud lamentation; Rachel weeping for her children, and she would not be consoled, since they were no more.” The death of the Holy Innocents allowed the Scriptures to be fulfilled. Although they were unable to profess the name of Christ, they were glorified by the grace of His birth.
“The grotto is adjacent to that of Jesus’ Nativity,” continued Br. Dobromir in his homily. “The Death of Innocents reveals a great truth: the evil of the sinner, like Herod, sows hatred and death, while the love of the just and innocent, like Jesus’, bears fruit, life and salvation.” If the path our life is always accompanied by light and dark—which is brought up in John 1: 5 to 2,2—it is up to us to choose between the path of Light brought by Christ and that of darkness.
HM