The pilgrimage to the cenacle, the Custos washes the feet of the children of the Parish
The place where according to tradition the Eucharist was established stands south-east of Jerusalem, The friars of the Custody of the Holy Land move in procession to Zion Gate to reach it, going through the streets of the city on this crowded afternoon, watched by pilgrims who join the procession and the curiosity of bystanders.
The road for the Cenacle crossed the paths of many Jewish families who, on this warm afternoon which is also a holiday for them – it is the Jewish Passover this week – are out for a walk towards the building where the Christians commemorate the Last Supper of Jesus and which for them is remembered as the Tomb of David. This is an important place for the Franciscans who settled here in the first half of the 14th century, until they were driven out, by the Arabs, in 1551.
With the Israeli-Palestinian conflicts in the 20th century, the building fell into Israeli hands so that, whilst pilgrims can enter it, Christian religious offices are limited to a few special occasions. Holy Thursday is one of these, so the “peregrinatio” of the Father Custos and of the friars takes on an intense and special meaning.
The room where, according to tradition, the last Supper took place, is on the upper floor, the queue of faithful goes up slowly and Christians of every nationality line up closely one next to the other, leaving space opposite Brother Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Custos, for the twelve children of the Parish of Jerusalem who will be the central figure of the ritual of the washing of the feet.
It was here, just a few hours before the capture, arrest and condemnation to death that Jesus washed the feet of his Apostles: “If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet,” says the Gospel by John which the faithful listen to in silence inside and outside the cenacle, “you ought to wash one another’s feet.”
The establishment of the Eucharist and of the new Commandment of Jesus is then remembered – “As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.” The passages of the Gospels by Mark and John are read in English and in Arabic. “Each of you in your own language, aloud”: this is how the Custos asked the Lord’s prayer to be recited, before the procession set off again from the cenacle to the Armenian Church of St. James the Major and the Chapel of the Archangels. “According to tradition, this was the house of Caiphus and Annas,” explains the Vicar of the Custody, Brother Artemio Vitores, “But it is also where the Franciscans, after they were driven out of the Cenacle were welcomed for eight years by the Armenians. Let us also pray for them”. The last stop, before returning to St. Saviour, was at the Syriac St. Mark’s Chapel.
Holy Hour in Gethsemane, in the Basilica of the Agony
The day of Holy Thursday in Jerusalem is long and eventful. When evening falls, the place chosen by the Latin Christians as their destination is where Jesus spend the hours that led to his capture, where he received the kiss of betrayal from Judas and where he was taken and led to the condemnation to death. This evening in Gethsemane there is a vigil in the Holy Hour and there are prayers with the Son of God in many languages: Latin, Italian, Arabic, English, Spanish, German, French, Polish, Portuguese and Hebrew.
The Gospel, singing and the Psalms commemorate the moment when Christ predicted to the incredulous Peter that he would have denied him and the prayer to the father: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours will be done.”
Standing, kneeling and seated. The large Basilica of the Agony, with its star-studded blue vaulted ceiling, is full of faithful. Many, because there was not room, had to stay outside, whilst the evening became colder and it began to rain.
The Custos of the Holy Land, Brother Pierbattista Pizzaballa, bent over – as he had done a few hours earlier at the Cenacle to wash and kiss the children’s feet – to lay a kiss on the stone of Gethsemane covered with red petals. It was here, according to Christian tradition, that the Saviour sweated blood, in the night, in the midst of the olive trees which still – thousand of years old – welcome the pilgrims inviting them to silence and prayer.
By Serena Picariello
Photos by Marco Gavasso
Procession to St. Peter in Gallicantu
As the Basilica of Gethsemane could not hold all the crowd that had come for the Holy Hour, many faithful listened to the celebration in the open air thanks to an outdoor broadcasting system. Some prayed, others talked and the joy of the youngsters of the parish was evident.
Round about 10.30 p.m., the procession set off. The rain, which had fallen on and off during the vigil, discouraged a few but it was a lovely procession which crossed the Kidron Valley. Some people had not yet left Gethsemane when the first had already reached the other side at the foot of the walls of the Old City.
Songs and prayers in Arabic set the rhythm for the procession, The traffic had been clocked to let the procession pass, so many Jews who were leaving their prayer at the Kotel (Wailing Wall) saw, to their great surprise, this procession of Arab believers in prayer pass by.
On arrival at St. Peter in Gallicantu, the prayers continued, then the Gospel was read and there was silence. The faithful gradually dispersed. Some remained in silence. The rain fell again. The cockerel was still sleeping.
Written and photos by Marie Armelle Beaulieu
The place where according to tradition the Eucharist was established stands south-east of Jerusalem, The friars of the Custody of the Holy Land move in procession to Zion Gate to reach it, going through the streets of the city on this crowded afternoon, watched by pilgrims who join the procession and the curiosity of bystanders.
The road for the Cenacle crossed the paths of many Jewish families who, on this warm afternoon which is also a holiday for them – it is the Jewish Passover this week – are out for a walk towards the building where the Christians commemorate the Last Supper of Jesus and which for them is remembered as the Tomb of David. This is an important place for the Franciscans who settled here in the first half of the 14th century, until they were driven out, by the Arabs, in 1551.
With the Israeli-Palestinian conflicts in the 20th century, the building fell into Israeli hands so that, whilst pilgrims can enter it, Christian religious offices are limited to a few special occasions. Holy Thursday is one of these, so the “peregrinatio” of the Father Custos and of the friars takes on an intense and special meaning.
The room where, according to tradition, the last Supper took place, is on the upper floor, the queue of faithful goes up slowly and Christians of every nationality line up closely one next to the other, leaving space opposite Brother Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Custos, for the twelve children of the Parish of Jerusalem who will be the central figure of the ritual of the washing of the feet.
It was here, just a few hours before the capture, arrest and condemnation to death that Jesus washed the feet of his Apostles: “If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet,” says the Gospel by John which the faithful listen to in silence inside and outside the cenacle, “you ought to wash one another’s feet.”
The establishment of the Eucharist and of the new Commandment of Jesus is then remembered – “As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.” The passages of the Gospels by Mark and John are read in English and in Arabic. “Each of you in your own language, aloud”: this is how the Custos asked the Lord’s prayer to be recited, before the procession set off again from the cenacle to the Armenian Church of St. James the Major and the Chapel of the Archangels. “According to tradition, this was the house of Caiphus and Annas,” explains the Vicar of the Custody, Brother Artemio Vitores, “But it is also where the Franciscans, after they were driven out of the Cenacle were welcomed for eight years by the Armenians. Let us also pray for them”. The last stop, before returning to St. Saviour, was at the Syriac St. Mark’s Chapel.
Holy Hour in Gethsemane, in the Basilica of the Agony
The day of Holy Thursday in Jerusalem is long and eventful. When evening falls, the place chosen by the Latin Christians as their destination is where Jesus spend the hours that led to his capture, where he received the kiss of betrayal from Judas and where he was taken and led to the condemnation to death. This evening in Gethsemane there is a vigil in the Holy Hour and there are prayers with the Son of God in many languages: Latin, Italian, Arabic, English, Spanish, German, French, Polish, Portuguese and Hebrew.
The Gospel, singing and the Psalms commemorate the moment when Christ predicted to the incredulous Peter that he would have denied him and the prayer to the father: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours will be done.”
Standing, kneeling and seated. The large Basilica of the Agony, with its star-studded blue vaulted ceiling, is full of faithful. Many, because there was not room, had to stay outside, whilst the evening became colder and it began to rain.
The Custos of the Holy Land, Brother Pierbattista Pizzaballa, bent over – as he had done a few hours earlier at the Cenacle to wash and kiss the children’s feet – to lay a kiss on the stone of Gethsemane covered with red petals. It was here, according to Christian tradition, that the Saviour sweated blood, in the night, in the midst of the olive trees which still – thousand of years old – welcome the pilgrims inviting them to silence and prayer.
By Serena Picariello
Photos by Marco Gavasso
Procession to St. Peter in Gallicantu
As the Basilica of Gethsemane could not hold all the crowd that had come for the Holy Hour, many faithful listened to the celebration in the open air thanks to an outdoor broadcasting system. Some prayed, others talked and the joy of the youngsters of the parish was evident.
Round about 10.30 p.m., the procession set off. The rain, which had fallen on and off during the vigil, discouraged a few but it was a lovely procession which crossed the Kidron Valley. Some people had not yet left Gethsemane when the first had already reached the other side at the foot of the walls of the Old City.
Songs and prayers in Arabic set the rhythm for the procession, The traffic had been clocked to let the procession pass, so many Jews who were leaving their prayer at the Kotel (Wailing Wall) saw, to their great surprise, this procession of Arab believers in prayer pass by.
On arrival at St. Peter in Gallicantu, the prayers continued, then the Gospel was read and there was silence. The faithful gradually dispersed. Some remained in silence. The rain fell again. The cockerel was still sleeping.
Written and photos by Marie Armelle Beaulieu