On Friday, December 25, 2009, Patriarch Fouad Twal celebrated Christmas Mass at the Chruch of St. Catherine in Bethlehem, with a large number of local Christians and tourists in attendance.
On the night before, he had been in the spotlight as he presided over the Christmas Eve Mass, which was broadcast in full, most notably by Palestinian television. About 100 priests, Franciscans, and seminarians from the Patriarchate were there to jointly lead the vigil. Others in presence were Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian Primer Minister Salam Fayyad, and consul generals from consulates in the Holy City.
During the Christmas Day Mass, His Beatitude gave a homily in Arabic, in which he repeated the main points of his Christmas message and the previous night’s homily, emphasizing the sobering aspects of the year 2009 in the Holy Land as well as the encouraging ones.
All night long, at the Manger and in the neighboring Chapels of Saint Joseph and Saint Jerome, various masses were held in succession, led by the Franciscan friars of the seminary.
Before that, the members of the Franciscan community had shared a holiday meal together at the Casa Nova. As is custom, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was there. He had just attended a concert put on by Zurich’s Opernhaus in the chapel known as des Croisés and organized by the Representative Office of Switzerland to the Palestinian Authority.
In his welcoming words, Br. Artemio Vitores, the custodial vicar, reminded the president that St. Francis considered Christmas to be the holiday of all holidays. He also expressed his conviction that God and religion could bring all believers together.
On Sunday, following the mass at the Manger, a continuous stream of pilgrims from all over the world headed towards the Grotto. In order to get there, they had to wait in a long line that stretched across the entire Basilica of the Nativity as the Patriarch came out, having had lunch with the Franciscans and heading back to the place he had come from the day before. It’s Christmastime in Bethlehem. All those who had the privilege of spending Christmas in Bethlehem will tell you that they consider it to have been an experience of grace.
Mab
Christmas in Bethlehem and everywhere else in the Holy Land
Christmas Eve in Jericho
On the night before, he had been in the spotlight as he presided over the Christmas Eve Mass, which was broadcast in full, most notably by Palestinian television. About 100 priests, Franciscans, and seminarians from the Patriarchate were there to jointly lead the vigil. Others in presence were Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian Primer Minister Salam Fayyad, and consul generals from consulates in the Holy City.
During the Christmas Day Mass, His Beatitude gave a homily in Arabic, in which he repeated the main points of his Christmas message and the previous night’s homily, emphasizing the sobering aspects of the year 2009 in the Holy Land as well as the encouraging ones.
All night long, at the Manger and in the neighboring Chapels of Saint Joseph and Saint Jerome, various masses were held in succession, led by the Franciscan friars of the seminary.
Before that, the members of the Franciscan community had shared a holiday meal together at the Casa Nova. As is custom, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was there. He had just attended a concert put on by Zurich’s Opernhaus in the chapel known as des Croisés and organized by the Representative Office of Switzerland to the Palestinian Authority.
In his welcoming words, Br. Artemio Vitores, the custodial vicar, reminded the president that St. Francis considered Christmas to be the holiday of all holidays. He also expressed his conviction that God and religion could bring all believers together.
On Sunday, following the mass at the Manger, a continuous stream of pilgrims from all over the world headed towards the Grotto. In order to get there, they had to wait in a long line that stretched across the entire Basilica of the Nativity as the Patriarch came out, having had lunch with the Franciscans and heading back to the place he had come from the day before. It’s Christmastime in Bethlehem. All those who had the privilege of spending Christmas in Bethlehem will tell you that they consider it to have been an experience of grace.
Mab
Christmas in Bethlehem and everywhere else in the Holy Land
Christmas Eve in Jericho