The chronicle of his ordination in Maghar
Badie Elias is a young Palestinian man of Arab origin, with Israeli citizenship, a Catholic of the Melkite rite as well as a Franciscan friar of the Latin church: practically a “concentrate of the Holy Land”.
On Saturday 2nd October, the thirty-seven year-old Franciscan Friar Badie Elias was ordained a priest in his parish church of Maghar by the Melkite Archbishop of Galilee, Elias Chakour, at a solemn Mass also attended by the Auxiliary Bishop of the Latin diocese in Nazareth, Giacinto-Boulos Marcuzzo and the exarch Fouzy Khoury, the Melkite parish priest of Maghar. The Franciscans were present at the celebration with the Custos of the Holy Land, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, his vicar and guardian of the convent of St. Saviour in Jerusalem, Artemio Vitores and the guardian of the convent of Mount Tabor, Mario Hadchiti, who assisted the candidate during the liturgy. Buses from the parish church and the convent of St. Saviour came from Jerusalem as well as from Nazareth so that a crowd filled the whole church. The Melkites are Catholics of the Greek rite who are joined to the Church of Rome but have their own canon law and Oriental liturgy. The Archbishop entered the church without vestments because his preparation and that of the altar (proskomedia) took place in the presbytery (holy Vima). In the meantime in the church the choir performed spiritual hymns whilst from outside the din of the band and drums could be heard: the mystical sound of the liturgy joined the joyful one of the celebration. The Archbishop was ready, wearing the vestments of the celebration, the mitre and holding the pastoral staff and waited for the procession under the central door of the iconostasis which was to stay open for the whole duration of the Mass. The entrance of the concelebrants was led by the Custos of the Holy Land who accompanied the candidate, followed by the other concelebrants. In the Liturgy of the word, the Gospel was that of John which narrates the episode of the Washing of the feet during the Last Supper, representing the priestly mystery in its aspect of service rendered before honour received. In his homily, Archbishop Chakour spoke of the splendour of the priesthood and the beauty of religious life, saying that he was happy that a son of his Melkite community had also become a son of the Custody of the Holy Land following in the footsteps of St. Francis and also hoping that the Custody would offer some priests for the Melkite church. The Offertory procession was particularly solemn and takes the name of “Great entrance”. Father Badie exercised his diaconal office carrying and elevating the chalice holding the wine. When the time came for the rite of the ordination, the candidate was introduced in a procession and, after going round the altar three times, he knelt before the Archbishop. The two of them then went to the altar, around which the concelebrants stood. Badie placed his head on the altar; the priestly stole was placed on his head and the archbishop held a golden cross above him, as he pronounced the prayer of consecration. Then Badie stood up, took off the deacon’s vestments and kissed the stole; his parents, moved, gave him the priestly chasuble whilst the concelebrants and the people sang that he was worthy of wearing it (song of the Axios). Badie put it on, pleased but with a tense expression on his face due to the gravity of the moment and the whole assembly applauded him warmly. In a touching and unexpected moment, Badie’s grandmother sang her blessings and good wishes in Arabic in a steady and beautiful voice. The liturgy of the Eucharist then resumed, with Father Badie celebrating for the first time as a new priest. The final prayer was reserved for him before the benediction (called the opisthamvonos), recited outside the Vima in front of the icon of the Redeemer. Before the conclusion, Archbishop Chakour, Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa and the parish priest Father Khoury gave him their good wishes and Father Badie Elias also thanked his brothers and all those present, almost apologising for not finding the words to express all his joy. The celebrants then formed a procession to leave the church, and they were joined by the parents of the new priest. The party began in the parish hall and Father Badie was carried in triumph by his friends. The refreshments closed a day that had been perfectly organized by the parish of Maghar in all its aspects. from the complex liturgy, sung from beginning to end by an excellent choir with beautiful solo voices, to the professional video recording and everything that was needed to offer the warmest of welcomes.
Father Badie Elias was recently appointed Vocational Animator for the Holy Land and resides in the convent of Ain Karem.
FRC
Badie Elias is a young Palestinian man of Arab origin, with Israeli citizenship, a Catholic of the Melkite rite as well as a Franciscan friar of the Latin church: practically a “concentrate of the Holy Land”.
On Saturday 2nd October, the thirty-seven year-old Franciscan Friar Badie Elias was ordained a priest in his parish church of Maghar by the Melkite Archbishop of Galilee, Elias Chakour, at a solemn Mass also attended by the Auxiliary Bishop of the Latin diocese in Nazareth, Giacinto-Boulos Marcuzzo and the exarch Fouzy Khoury, the Melkite parish priest of Maghar. The Franciscans were present at the celebration with the Custos of the Holy Land, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, his vicar and guardian of the convent of St. Saviour in Jerusalem, Artemio Vitores and the guardian of the convent of Mount Tabor, Mario Hadchiti, who assisted the candidate during the liturgy. Buses from the parish church and the convent of St. Saviour came from Jerusalem as well as from Nazareth so that a crowd filled the whole church. The Melkites are Catholics of the Greek rite who are joined to the Church of Rome but have their own canon law and Oriental liturgy. The Archbishop entered the church without vestments because his preparation and that of the altar (proskomedia) took place in the presbytery (holy Vima). In the meantime in the church the choir performed spiritual hymns whilst from outside the din of the band and drums could be heard: the mystical sound of the liturgy joined the joyful one of the celebration. The Archbishop was ready, wearing the vestments of the celebration, the mitre and holding the pastoral staff and waited for the procession under the central door of the iconostasis which was to stay open for the whole duration of the Mass. The entrance of the concelebrants was led by the Custos of the Holy Land who accompanied the candidate, followed by the other concelebrants. In the Liturgy of the word, the Gospel was that of John which narrates the episode of the Washing of the feet during the Last Supper, representing the priestly mystery in its aspect of service rendered before honour received. In his homily, Archbishop Chakour spoke of the splendour of the priesthood and the beauty of religious life, saying that he was happy that a son of his Melkite community had also become a son of the Custody of the Holy Land following in the footsteps of St. Francis and also hoping that the Custody would offer some priests for the Melkite church. The Offertory procession was particularly solemn and takes the name of “Great entrance”. Father Badie exercised his diaconal office carrying and elevating the chalice holding the wine. When the time came for the rite of the ordination, the candidate was introduced in a procession and, after going round the altar three times, he knelt before the Archbishop. The two of them then went to the altar, around which the concelebrants stood. Badie placed his head on the altar; the priestly stole was placed on his head and the archbishop held a golden cross above him, as he pronounced the prayer of consecration. Then Badie stood up, took off the deacon’s vestments and kissed the stole; his parents, moved, gave him the priestly chasuble whilst the concelebrants and the people sang that he was worthy of wearing it (song of the Axios). Badie put it on, pleased but with a tense expression on his face due to the gravity of the moment and the whole assembly applauded him warmly. In a touching and unexpected moment, Badie’s grandmother sang her blessings and good wishes in Arabic in a steady and beautiful voice. The liturgy of the Eucharist then resumed, with Father Badie celebrating for the first time as a new priest. The final prayer was reserved for him before the benediction (called the opisthamvonos), recited outside the Vima in front of the icon of the Redeemer. Before the conclusion, Archbishop Chakour, Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa and the parish priest Father Khoury gave him their good wishes and Father Badie Elias also thanked his brothers and all those present, almost apologising for not finding the words to express all his joy. The celebrants then formed a procession to leave the church, and they were joined by the parents of the new priest. The party began in the parish hall and Father Badie was carried in triumph by his friends. The refreshments closed a day that had been perfectly organized by the parish of Maghar in all its aspects. from the complex liturgy, sung from beginning to end by an excellent choir with beautiful solo voices, to the professional video recording and everything that was needed to offer the warmest of welcomes.
Father Badie Elias was recently appointed Vocational Animator for the Holy Land and resides in the convent of Ain Karem.
FRC