SOLEMN ENTRANCE AND PROCESSION
In Jerusalem, the start of Lent is symbolized by the opening of the Holy Sepulchre and ritualized by the entrance of the churches that officiate there.
The main door is closed just before the arrival of the first delegation and opened when it reaches it, in remembrance of the past when the door of the Sepulchre was always closed, and opened only for the arrival of pilgrimages.
This year again, the start of Lent coincides for Catholics and Orthodox and a precise set of rules lays down the times of entrance. It is the evening of Saturday 12th March.
Those who are still called “Latins”, or the Roman Catholic Church, enter first, with the Friars Minor of the Custody of the Holy Land who accompany and introduce into the Basilica the Emeritus Auxiliary Bishop Kamal Batish together with the clergy of Jerusalem and the seminarians. After them, it is the turn of the Greek Orthodox, the Copts, the Syriacs and the Armenians.
They all arrive at the Holy Sepulchre in a procession after having passed through the quarters of the Old City, led by the Kawas, the guard of honour that act as their escorts and set the pace.
After the entrance, each group celebrates their introductory rites and all make an act of devotion to the Stone of Unction, in memory of the place where the body of Christ was laid after the crucifixion. Today this entrance has taken on the symbolic meaning of the solemn start of the liturgical celebrations of Lent, but the rite follows that of the welcome to the groups of pilgrims who, guided by their bishop, reach the Holy Sepulchre.
As the Armenians complete their entrance, the Latins begin their daily procession, which for the occasion is enriched by singing and organ playing at all the stations, with the particularity of going round the Edicule of the Shrine three times at the end.
The Copts, the Greek Orthodox and the Syriacs also continue their celebrations: either at the same time in different places in the Basilica or in the same place but at different times. The overlapping of the liturgies produces that triumph of sounds, songs, colours and perfumes that create the specific mood of this church: a unique religious counterpoint which, whilst not perfectly imitating the symphony of celestial choirs in form, is a good representation of it in devotion.
THE NIGHT VIGIL
During the night, the friars of the Custody gather at the convent of St. Saviour and once again go down to the Holy Sepulchre for the celebration of the solemn Office of the vigil, presided by the Custos of the Holy Land, Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa.
With respect to the normal vigils, the specific element of this celebration in the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre is the rite of the Memory of the Resurrection, with the announcement in Lent of the victory of Christ over death which took place “here”. A procession is formed which, leaving from the Chapel of the Apparition, goes round the Edicule of the Holy Sepulchre with the Benedictus sung and, at intervals, an antiphony with a double hallelujah and an organ interlude.
The Father Custos himself solemnly carries the Book of Gospels, which he takes into the Tomb and with which he blesses the faithful as they leave. In ancient times he would read the Gospel of the Resurrection according to Matthew himself here, but historical events have led to the proclamation being made today by the Custos Father in the Chapel of the Apparition.
This is followed by the “Commemoratio omnium”, a series of invocations to the Son (Domine Iesu) with the response of the Kyrie eleison. After the oremus and the blessing, the celebration of the vigil comes to an end, but the night’s celebrations also include a simple Mass at the Calvary presided by the Father Custos, as though to represent the unity of the Paschal mystery of the death and resurrection of Christ.
THE MORNING MASS
On the Sunday morning, the friars of the community of the Holy Sepulchre celebrate at the Tomb as usual at 4.30 and 5.00 am and with sung mass at 5.30 am. At 8.30 am, a second sung mass is solemnly concelebrated at the altar of Mary Magdalene for the community of the parish and the pilgrims in the presence of the Latin Patriarch.
Towards 8.15 am, the friars of St. Saviour go in a procession to the Patriarchate to accompany the Patriarch or one of his delegates to the Sepulchre again, this year Monsignor Kamal Batish, with his entourage. A procession is formed and, passing from the Jaffa Gate along David Road and Christian Quarter Road, it reaches the Holy Sepulchre. Bishop Kamal is present wearing a cope, introduces the prayer of praise, proclaims the collection of the Mass, blesses the people with the Book of Gospels, lays the stole on the parish priest of Jerusalem Father Feras Hejazin who is about to rise to the pulpit for the homily and gives the final solemn blessing.
The celebration of the Eucharist is presided by the hebdomadarius of the convent of St. Saviour, Father Noel Muscat and concelebrated by the local clergy and guest priests. A new booklet has been specially published and explains in the introduction the antiquity and the unity of the celebrations of the first Sunday of Lent as well as of other important moments: «In each of these the welcome that the Franciscans gave to pilgrims comes back to life in ritualized form, how they guided pilgrims with a solemn procession to visit, in prayer and meditation, the holy places in the Basilica, the night prayer and the sacrament of reconciliation which allowed everyone to take part in full in the solemn mass of the morning that concluded the visit.»
This morning again, all the churches celebrate their liturgies simultaneously: whilst the Latins begin Mass, the Copts are at communion; the Greeks have also begun and the Syrians have been in the chapel for some time. Around ten past eight, suddenly the great vocal power of the Armenian seminarians can be heard, which only the organ played by Father Armando Pierucci can alleviate. All of us are here now: it is the first Sunday of Lent at the Holy Sepulchre.
Article by Fra Riccardo Ceriani and Photos by Marco Gavasso
In Jerusalem, the start of Lent is symbolized by the opening of the Holy Sepulchre and ritualized by the entrance of the churches that officiate there.
The main door is closed just before the arrival of the first delegation and opened when it reaches it, in remembrance of the past when the door of the Sepulchre was always closed, and opened only for the arrival of pilgrimages.
This year again, the start of Lent coincides for Catholics and Orthodox and a precise set of rules lays down the times of entrance. It is the evening of Saturday 12th March.
Those who are still called “Latins”, or the Roman Catholic Church, enter first, with the Friars Minor of the Custody of the Holy Land who accompany and introduce into the Basilica the Emeritus Auxiliary Bishop Kamal Batish together with the clergy of Jerusalem and the seminarians. After them, it is the turn of the Greek Orthodox, the Copts, the Syriacs and the Armenians.
They all arrive at the Holy Sepulchre in a procession after having passed through the quarters of the Old City, led by the Kawas, the guard of honour that act as their escorts and set the pace.
After the entrance, each group celebrates their introductory rites and all make an act of devotion to the Stone of Unction, in memory of the place where the body of Christ was laid after the crucifixion. Today this entrance has taken on the symbolic meaning of the solemn start of the liturgical celebrations of Lent, but the rite follows that of the welcome to the groups of pilgrims who, guided by their bishop, reach the Holy Sepulchre.
As the Armenians complete their entrance, the Latins begin their daily procession, which for the occasion is enriched by singing and organ playing at all the stations, with the particularity of going round the Edicule of the Shrine three times at the end.
The Copts, the Greek Orthodox and the Syriacs also continue their celebrations: either at the same time in different places in the Basilica or in the same place but at different times. The overlapping of the liturgies produces that triumph of sounds, songs, colours and perfumes that create the specific mood of this church: a unique religious counterpoint which, whilst not perfectly imitating the symphony of celestial choirs in form, is a good representation of it in devotion.
THE NIGHT VIGIL
During the night, the friars of the Custody gather at the convent of St. Saviour and once again go down to the Holy Sepulchre for the celebration of the solemn Office of the vigil, presided by the Custos of the Holy Land, Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa.
With respect to the normal vigils, the specific element of this celebration in the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre is the rite of the Memory of the Resurrection, with the announcement in Lent of the victory of Christ over death which took place “here”. A procession is formed which, leaving from the Chapel of the Apparition, goes round the Edicule of the Holy Sepulchre with the Benedictus sung and, at intervals, an antiphony with a double hallelujah and an organ interlude.
The Father Custos himself solemnly carries the Book of Gospels, which he takes into the Tomb and with which he blesses the faithful as they leave. In ancient times he would read the Gospel of the Resurrection according to Matthew himself here, but historical events have led to the proclamation being made today by the Custos Father in the Chapel of the Apparition.
This is followed by the “Commemoratio omnium”, a series of invocations to the Son (Domine Iesu) with the response of the Kyrie eleison. After the oremus and the blessing, the celebration of the vigil comes to an end, but the night’s celebrations also include a simple Mass at the Calvary presided by the Father Custos, as though to represent the unity of the Paschal mystery of the death and resurrection of Christ.
THE MORNING MASS
On the Sunday morning, the friars of the community of the Holy Sepulchre celebrate at the Tomb as usual at 4.30 and 5.00 am and with sung mass at 5.30 am. At 8.30 am, a second sung mass is solemnly concelebrated at the altar of Mary Magdalene for the community of the parish and the pilgrims in the presence of the Latin Patriarch.
Towards 8.15 am, the friars of St. Saviour go in a procession to the Patriarchate to accompany the Patriarch or one of his delegates to the Sepulchre again, this year Monsignor Kamal Batish, with his entourage. A procession is formed and, passing from the Jaffa Gate along David Road and Christian Quarter Road, it reaches the Holy Sepulchre. Bishop Kamal is present wearing a cope, introduces the prayer of praise, proclaims the collection of the Mass, blesses the people with the Book of Gospels, lays the stole on the parish priest of Jerusalem Father Feras Hejazin who is about to rise to the pulpit for the homily and gives the final solemn blessing.
The celebration of the Eucharist is presided by the hebdomadarius of the convent of St. Saviour, Father Noel Muscat and concelebrated by the local clergy and guest priests. A new booklet has been specially published and explains in the introduction the antiquity and the unity of the celebrations of the first Sunday of Lent as well as of other important moments: «In each of these the welcome that the Franciscans gave to pilgrims comes back to life in ritualized form, how they guided pilgrims with a solemn procession to visit, in prayer and meditation, the holy places in the Basilica, the night prayer and the sacrament of reconciliation which allowed everyone to take part in full in the solemn mass of the morning that concluded the visit.»
This morning again, all the churches celebrate their liturgies simultaneously: whilst the Latins begin Mass, the Copts are at communion; the Greeks have also begun and the Syrians have been in the chapel for some time. Around ten past eight, suddenly the great vocal power of the Armenian seminarians can be heard, which only the organ played by Father Armando Pierucci can alleviate. All of us are here now: it is the first Sunday of Lent at the Holy Sepulchre.
Article by Fra Riccardo Ceriani and Photos by Marco Gavasso