In the middle of Lent (February 25 to March 2) His Eminence Leonardo Cardinal Sandri visited the Holy Land for the first time since he was appointed to head the Congregation for Oriental Churches.
He received all the honors due his rank. He also observed, unlike other bishops, all possible Solemn Entries: the Solemn Entry to the Holy Sepulcher, which was blessed if we are to believe the torrents of water that accompanied the cortège in the roadways of Jerusalem’s Old City; to Bethlehem, which he entered on this sunny afternoon by the ancient pathway of the patriarchs, via Rachel’s Tomb, preceded by a long motorcade of vehicles from Beit Jala, Beit Sahur, Bethlehem and Jerusalem; to Nazareth, where the Arabic-speaking Christians of Israeli nationality took second place to none in either the numbers or the warmth of their reception.
This marathon of solemn observances did not keep the cardinal from working. His schedule was very full. Aside from representatives of sister churches and separated churches, he met the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land and the seminarians of the Latin Patriarchate at Beit Jala. He also visited Bethlehem University and certain religious communities, some in Jordan. The cardinal also held a number of private consultations, as well as granting interviews for Catholic radio and television stations.
He was able on this occasion to renew the appeal made by the Holy Father himself for aid to the Christians of the Holy Land, particularly on the occasion of the Good Friday collection.
"Are you happy to be here, Eminence?" "Yes, I am very happy. It is the contagious joy of the land of Jesus. He is our Savior. From him we received joy, peace, reconciliation… almost in spite of ourselves… and in spite of those who seek division and war. But Jesus himself is our peace."
Cardinal Sandri spread joy in all directions during his stay, even though here and there he had to bring peace to more sensitive cases.
Several more intimate visits marked the Custody of the Holy Land: Mass in the Upper Room, the Franciscan convent on Mount Zion; the meeting with part of the Saint Saviour’s community on Monday, February 25th; Mass in the Bethlehem grotto and a quick visit to the convent of the Nativity; dinner at Saint Saviour’s and a meal in Nazareth at the Annunciation Convent.
Meat was served on a Lenten Wednesday to celebrate! The Franciscans can recall the apophtegme of Saint Benedict of Nursie, reported by Saint Gregory in his "Diaglogues". When the saint, who was living as a hermit, had lost his sense of time, a priest came to visit him: "Rise and take some nourishment for it is Easter today," the priest told him. To which the holy man of God replied, "I know that it is Easter because I had the merit to see you."
Eminence, you have given the Franciscans of the Custody of the Holy Land Easter joy because they merited seeing you, but even more because throughout your visit you missed no opportunity to encourage them in their mission in the Holy Land.
"Here, this is our home; it is also yours," the Custos told him before the Anointing Stone in the Holy Sepulcher. But it is not just holy places. In proof of which, the welcome sung by the Saint Saviour’s seminarians to the joy of all. And so, welcome and thank you, Eminence.
MAB
He received all the honors due his rank. He also observed, unlike other bishops, all possible Solemn Entries: the Solemn Entry to the Holy Sepulcher, which was blessed if we are to believe the torrents of water that accompanied the cortège in the roadways of Jerusalem’s Old City; to Bethlehem, which he entered on this sunny afternoon by the ancient pathway of the patriarchs, via Rachel’s Tomb, preceded by a long motorcade of vehicles from Beit Jala, Beit Sahur, Bethlehem and Jerusalem; to Nazareth, where the Arabic-speaking Christians of Israeli nationality took second place to none in either the numbers or the warmth of their reception.
This marathon of solemn observances did not keep the cardinal from working. His schedule was very full. Aside from representatives of sister churches and separated churches, he met the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land and the seminarians of the Latin Patriarchate at Beit Jala. He also visited Bethlehem University and certain religious communities, some in Jordan. The cardinal also held a number of private consultations, as well as granting interviews for Catholic radio and television stations.
He was able on this occasion to renew the appeal made by the Holy Father himself for aid to the Christians of the Holy Land, particularly on the occasion of the Good Friday collection.
"Are you happy to be here, Eminence?" "Yes, I am very happy. It is the contagious joy of the land of Jesus. He is our Savior. From him we received joy, peace, reconciliation… almost in spite of ourselves… and in spite of those who seek division and war. But Jesus himself is our peace."
Cardinal Sandri spread joy in all directions during his stay, even though here and there he had to bring peace to more sensitive cases.
Several more intimate visits marked the Custody of the Holy Land: Mass in the Upper Room, the Franciscan convent on Mount Zion; the meeting with part of the Saint Saviour’s community on Monday, February 25th; Mass in the Bethlehem grotto and a quick visit to the convent of the Nativity; dinner at Saint Saviour’s and a meal in Nazareth at the Annunciation Convent.
Meat was served on a Lenten Wednesday to celebrate! The Franciscans can recall the apophtegme of Saint Benedict of Nursie, reported by Saint Gregory in his "Diaglogues". When the saint, who was living as a hermit, had lost his sense of time, a priest came to visit him: "Rise and take some nourishment for it is Easter today," the priest told him. To which the holy man of God replied, "I know that it is Easter because I had the merit to see you."
Eminence, you have given the Franciscans of the Custody of the Holy Land Easter joy because they merited seeing you, but even more because throughout your visit you missed no opportunity to encourage them in their mission in the Holy Land.
"Here, this is our home; it is also yours," the Custos told him before the Anointing Stone in the Holy Sepulcher. But it is not just holy places. In proof of which, the welcome sung by the Saint Saviour’s seminarians to the joy of all. And so, welcome and thank you, Eminence.
MAB