Going to get the light at the crib in the grotto of the Nativity, and lighting with that flame the first candle of the Advent wreath, the Custos, Fr. Pierbattista Pizzaballa, inaugurated the Christmas cycle in Bethlehem.
The day’s celebration began with the solemn entrance of the Custos of the Holy Land in the city of the Nativity. The procession, after the usual greetings, set off from St. Saviour, stopped at Mar Elia, passed in front of Rachel’s Tomb and reached the Catholic Action, from where three groups of scouts, two from Bethlehem and one from Nazareth, accompanied it. The crowd, Franciscan friars and, in the first rows. the parish priest Fr. Samuel Fahim, accompanied by the Minister of Tourism Khouloud Doubaibes, the District Governor Mr. Salah Al Tamari and the Mayor of Bethlehem Dr. Victor Btarseh were waiting in Manger Square.
The wait had been joyful on this sunny day and the entrance was none the less joyous. Smiles could be seen on every face. Under the parish church, the Custos put on the violet liturgical vestments. The assembly was amazed. “Are you in mourning?” “No, we are about to recite the first vespers of Advent.” Because this year, St. Catherine has finally left the prerogative to the Lord.
According to the age-old tradition, this type of entrance was made on the feast-day of the parish church, whose patron saint is Catherine of Alexandria. However, 25th November often fell during the week and therefore the pastoral aspect was less evident. Thus, in 1982, with the permission of the Churches taking part in the Status Quo, Greek Orthodox and Armenian, as well as with that of the civil authorities, it was decided that the feast-day would be celebrated on the first Sunday after St. Catherine.
The liturgy already dedicated this Sunday both to Christus Rex and to the first Sunday of Advent. From this year onwards, what is St. Catherine’s is rendered to St. Catherine and the Franciscan community sings the first vespers of her feast-day on 24th November, what is Christ’s is rendered to Christ, celebrating the first vespers of the first Sunday of Advent on that day, in compliance with the liturgical calendar.
Moreover, this is highly topical in the city of Bethlehem, already strongly oriented towards Christmas. During the week, the Custos of the Holy Land met the President of the Palestinian Authority, Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas) to invite him, as tradition has it, to the Christmas midnight mass on 24th December. At the end of this meeting the President gave a sort of present to the Basilica of the Nativity. After more than 200 years of neglect, the roof of the Basilica is definitely in poor shape. As the Churches were unable to reach agreement for its repair, it was the President of the Palestinian Authority, in his capacity as the local civil authority and part of the Status Quo, who pushed for an agreement on this question. In this regard, he convoked all the parties and the agreement, long awaited by all, was unanimously reached. In the next few months, we can therefore expect to see the start of work on the Basilica.
For the time being, it is the city council of Bethlehem that is in a flurry of activity to give the city the colours of Christmas and to welcome pilgrims and tourists, expected in large numbers at this time of the year. Civil and religious activities are multiplied, whilst waiting until they can celebrate the birth of the Lord in the same city where he came into the world.
Before leaving Bethlehem, by the same road that he came, the Custos celebrated the Mass of the first Sunday of Advent, this time with the parish, officiating at the 9 o’clock Mass. St. Catherine was not forgotten because, at the time of incensation, at the start of the liturgy, her altar was incensed.
MAB
The day’s celebration began with the solemn entrance of the Custos of the Holy Land in the city of the Nativity. The procession, after the usual greetings, set off from St. Saviour, stopped at Mar Elia, passed in front of Rachel’s Tomb and reached the Catholic Action, from where three groups of scouts, two from Bethlehem and one from Nazareth, accompanied it. The crowd, Franciscan friars and, in the first rows. the parish priest Fr. Samuel Fahim, accompanied by the Minister of Tourism Khouloud Doubaibes, the District Governor Mr. Salah Al Tamari and the Mayor of Bethlehem Dr. Victor Btarseh were waiting in Manger Square.
The wait had been joyful on this sunny day and the entrance was none the less joyous. Smiles could be seen on every face. Under the parish church, the Custos put on the violet liturgical vestments. The assembly was amazed. “Are you in mourning?” “No, we are about to recite the first vespers of Advent.” Because this year, St. Catherine has finally left the prerogative to the Lord.
According to the age-old tradition, this type of entrance was made on the feast-day of the parish church, whose patron saint is Catherine of Alexandria. However, 25th November often fell during the week and therefore the pastoral aspect was less evident. Thus, in 1982, with the permission of the Churches taking part in the Status Quo, Greek Orthodox and Armenian, as well as with that of the civil authorities, it was decided that the feast-day would be celebrated on the first Sunday after St. Catherine.
The liturgy already dedicated this Sunday both to Christus Rex and to the first Sunday of Advent. From this year onwards, what is St. Catherine’s is rendered to St. Catherine and the Franciscan community sings the first vespers of her feast-day on 24th November, what is Christ’s is rendered to Christ, celebrating the first vespers of the first Sunday of Advent on that day, in compliance with the liturgical calendar.
Moreover, this is highly topical in the city of Bethlehem, already strongly oriented towards Christmas. During the week, the Custos of the Holy Land met the President of the Palestinian Authority, Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas) to invite him, as tradition has it, to the Christmas midnight mass on 24th December. At the end of this meeting the President gave a sort of present to the Basilica of the Nativity. After more than 200 years of neglect, the roof of the Basilica is definitely in poor shape. As the Churches were unable to reach agreement for its repair, it was the President of the Palestinian Authority, in his capacity as the local civil authority and part of the Status Quo, who pushed for an agreement on this question. In this regard, he convoked all the parties and the agreement, long awaited by all, was unanimously reached. In the next few months, we can therefore expect to see the start of work on the Basilica.
For the time being, it is the city council of Bethlehem that is in a flurry of activity to give the city the colours of Christmas and to welcome pilgrims and tourists, expected in large numbers at this time of the year. Civil and religious activities are multiplied, whilst waiting until they can celebrate the birth of the Lord in the same city where he came into the world.
Before leaving Bethlehem, by the same road that he came, the Custos celebrated the Mass of the first Sunday of Advent, this time with the parish, officiating at the 9 o’clock Mass. St. Catherine was not forgotten because, at the time of incensation, at the start of the liturgy, her altar was incensed.
MAB