On Sunday, June 1, 2008, Patriarch Michel Sabbah celebrated a final mass at the Jerusalem Hebrew-speaking Catholic community and bade farewell to the faithful of the Hebrew-speaking Catholic Vicariate in Israel. In his word to the Patriarch, the Vicar for the Hebrew-speaking Catholics in Israel, Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa, reminded all that Michel Sabbah was the first Patriarch of Jerusalem who celebrated mass in Hebrew.
The Patriarch of Jerusalem, Michel Sabbah, who will be retiring from the position he has held for more than twenty years, came to the Hebrew-speaking community in order to celebrate a final mass and preach one last time in Hebrew as Patriarch of Jerusalem. Concelebrating with him were the Vicar, Father Pierbattista and a number of priests from the Vicariate, including the priest responsible for the Jerusalem community, Father Apolinary and the Secretary of the Vicariate, Father David.
In his fluent Hebrew, the Patriarch not only celebrated the mass but also addressed his words to the assembled faithful in Hebrew. A translation into English of his homily can be found below. The Eucharist was accompanied by the songs of the small choir and an atmosphere of joy and serenity was apparent among the faithful.
After the Eucharistic celebration, Father Pierbattista addressed his own words of farewell to the Patriarch. He thanked the Patriarch for his presence in the Church of Jerusalem and for his leadership over the difficult years that have gone by. Then three representatives of the kehilla presented the Patriarch with small tokens of our thanks and expresed wishes for the Patriarch’s well-being. Anya, from the Jerusalem community, presented the Patriarch with a beautifully illustrated volume in Hebrew on bread and the different religious communities as well as a CD. Brother Yohanan Elihai presented the Patriarch with his dictionary of Arabic dialect and Father David gave the Patriarch a ceramic tile with the Psalm 23 written on it in Hebrew.
After mass, the community met for a fraternal moment of sharing food and drink as the Patriarch chatted with different members of the kehilla.
We wish him well as he departs his office after twenty long and hard years of service of the Lord. May God bless him and keep him.
D.N.
To read the text of the Homily of H.B. Patriarch Michel Sabbah for the Hebrew-speaking
The Patriarch of Jerusalem, Michel Sabbah, who will be retiring from the position he has held for more than twenty years, came to the Hebrew-speaking community in order to celebrate a final mass and preach one last time in Hebrew as Patriarch of Jerusalem. Concelebrating with him were the Vicar, Father Pierbattista and a number of priests from the Vicariate, including the priest responsible for the Jerusalem community, Father Apolinary and the Secretary of the Vicariate, Father David.
In his fluent Hebrew, the Patriarch not only celebrated the mass but also addressed his words to the assembled faithful in Hebrew. A translation into English of his homily can be found below. The Eucharist was accompanied by the songs of the small choir and an atmosphere of joy and serenity was apparent among the faithful.
After the Eucharistic celebration, Father Pierbattista addressed his own words of farewell to the Patriarch. He thanked the Patriarch for his presence in the Church of Jerusalem and for his leadership over the difficult years that have gone by. Then three representatives of the kehilla presented the Patriarch with small tokens of our thanks and expresed wishes for the Patriarch’s well-being. Anya, from the Jerusalem community, presented the Patriarch with a beautifully illustrated volume in Hebrew on bread and the different religious communities as well as a CD. Brother Yohanan Elihai presented the Patriarch with his dictionary of Arabic dialect and Father David gave the Patriarch a ceramic tile with the Psalm 23 written on it in Hebrew.
After mass, the community met for a fraternal moment of sharing food and drink as the Patriarch chatted with different members of the kehilla.
We wish him well as he departs his office after twenty long and hard years of service of the Lord. May God bless him and keep him.
D.N.
To read the text of the Homily of H.B. Patriarch Michel Sabbah for the Hebrew-speaking