Third of the shrines at Ein Karem, following the sanctuaries of the Visitation and that of the birthplace of St John the Baptist, the hermitage of St John of the Desert commemorates the refuge sought for the infant Precursor in the Massacre of the Innocents. Today it is the perfect place at which to relax and spend time with God. Here, on July 16th, Friar Sergio Olmeda welcomed a number of young people, children of diplomats, to receive the Sacrament on a day which was also the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
Friar Sergio Olmeda, ofm
Superior at the sanctuary of St John of the Desert
We chose the day precisely because of this feast of Our Lady. On July the second we had celebrated the First Communion of several Spanish-speaking children who parents work in Israel and the Palestinian Territories.
This link with the Spanish-speaking community stems from relationships which have been built up over time, and it is characterized by a common devotion to the Saint who preceded the coming of Christ.
P. Sergio Olmeda
It began in simple friendship between us, but slowly it developed into a community which has become happily devoted to St. John the Baptist. We wanted him to be better known, and this has become our goal here. The fact that we meet here, not very far from the sanctuaries commemorating the Visitation, and the birthplace of the Saint, makes us particularly aware that here there is a sanctuary which reflects the apocryphal gospel of St James, in a passage relating to John. Everywhere we go here we are especially conscious of the love of John.
The friary of St John was purchased by the Custody of the Holy Land, on November 10th, 1911, from the Latin Patriarchate, which had aquired it in about 1850. Today, in the year of its Franciscan centenary, it stands in the centre of a moshav -- a kind of kibbutz - and relations with the moshavniks are very good. Friar Sergio described these in terms of reconciliation.
P. Sergio Olmeda
I am delighted to say that since 2004, we have been restoring the sanctuary, and that during this time we have know many pleasant experiences. Among these is the fact that that we have become accepted by our neighbours in the Moshav community. This warmth also applies to the village authorities, and we saw this especially during the holidays of St. John. On June 23rd, we were able to celebrate the Vespers of St. John for the first time, and, do you know, the authorties came here for the occasion! They evidently love this place, and the same can be said of the many other Israeli visitors who come here. One senses that they feel a certain responsibility for good relations between us.
Friar Sergio Olmeda, ofm
Superior at the sanctuary of St John of the Desert
We chose the day precisely because of this feast of Our Lady. On July the second we had celebrated the First Communion of several Spanish-speaking children who parents work in Israel and the Palestinian Territories.
This link with the Spanish-speaking community stems from relationships which have been built up over time, and it is characterized by a common devotion to the Saint who preceded the coming of Christ.
P. Sergio Olmeda
It began in simple friendship between us, but slowly it developed into a community which has become happily devoted to St. John the Baptist. We wanted him to be better known, and this has become our goal here. The fact that we meet here, not very far from the sanctuaries commemorating the Visitation, and the birthplace of the Saint, makes us particularly aware that here there is a sanctuary which reflects the apocryphal gospel of St James, in a passage relating to John. Everywhere we go here we are especially conscious of the love of John.
The friary of St John was purchased by the Custody of the Holy Land, on November 10th, 1911, from the Latin Patriarchate, which had aquired it in about 1850. Today, in the year of its Franciscan centenary, it stands in the centre of a moshav -- a kind of kibbutz - and relations with the moshavniks are very good. Friar Sergio described these in terms of reconciliation.
P. Sergio Olmeda
I am delighted to say that since 2004, we have been restoring the sanctuary, and that during this time we have know many pleasant experiences. Among these is the fact that that we have become accepted by our neighbours in the Moshav community. This warmth also applies to the village authorities, and we saw this especially during the holidays of St. John. On June 23rd, we were able to celebrate the Vespers of St. John for the first time, and, do you know, the authorties came here for the occasion! They evidently love this place, and the same can be said of the many other Israeli visitors who come here. One senses that they feel a certain responsibility for good relations between us.