The rite has remained unchanged for centuries. Twice a year, every year, the Christian churches of Jerusalem take turns visiting each other in order to exchange greetings. This ritual takes place in January, a few days after Christmas, and then in April after the Easter festivities. Thus, for the last few days, Jerusalem’s cobblestones have been echoing with the sounds of kawas that have been leading the delegations from one patriarchate to another.
The first “series” of greetings was for Catholics, who this year celebrated Easter before the Orthodox Church. On the Tuesday after Easter, the Coptic and Syriac Patriarchs went to the seat of the Custody to congratulate the Franciscans. The atmosphere was warm and almost family-like, as if cousins were visiting each other for the holidays. In the Holy Land, Christians are so few in number that the different theologies fade together. What reigns is faith in Christ.
The Coptic Patriarch emphasized the joy that Christians must have in their hearts. “We are united with Christ, in order to share our joy of the Resurrection. Since Christ is risen, our joy is complete.” In turn, the Syrian archbishop wished the Friars Minor a happy Easter, bringing attention to the tragic situation that Christians in the Middle East are facing: “We must all talk about the Christian presence here, even if the powers that be are silent on this topic.”
The Saint Savior Monastery then welcomed the Ethiopian delegation, before hosting the Greek Orthodox delegation the next day. For Theophilos, the Greek Patriarch, “it is a grace to rejoice twice over the Resurrection (because of the different calendars). May the light of Christ illuminate our hearts and minds for the successful continuation of this mission.”
The Armenians’ visit was especially significant this year due to the centennial commemoration of the Armenian genocide, which their patriarch recalled. The community also wished to commemorate Brother Basilio Talatinian, the Franciscan of Armenian origin, who died a few days earlier. For the occasion, they solemnly sang prayers in a moving and silent atmosphere.
These different visits by Orthodox leaders allowed the Custos to deliver the same message: “Much has been done to improve our knowledge of one another. But we must deepen ties between churches, in order to be strong in the face of adversity. Christianity in the Middle East is under threat, but we must be steadfast in prayer, with the assurance that nothing can take away Christians’ love for Christ, not even death. “ Father Custos Pierbattista Pizzaballa is clear: Christians are not foreigners in the Holy Land; they are an integral part of the history of this land and they must remain in it.
A week after the Latin Easter, the Orthodox Church celebrated Christ’s Resurrection. It was now the Franciscans’ turn to bring their well wishes.
In the absence of the Custos, the Custodial Vicar Brother Dobromir Jasztal acted as the spokesperson for the Friars Minor. “The empty tomb is the only evidence that remains of the Resurrection. After 2000 years, it is a privilege for us to protect this place,” he said to the Greek Orthodox community. Visiting Ethiopian and Coptic communities, the second-in-command at the Custody recalled the importance of the resurrection for Christians, an “event without which our faith would be in vain.”
When greeting Armenians and Syriacs, at the monasteries of Saint James and Saint Mark, he recalled that the numerous martyrs of the 1915 genocide now contemplate the face of the risen Christ. “We do not only see them as those who have suffered for Christ, but rather those who have risen with him.” Syriac Archbishop, Mar Swerios Malki Murad, stressed that if the persecutions against the Christians have always existed, they have intensified over the past four years.
Ceremonies commemorating the Armenian and Syrian genocides will be held in Jerusalem on April 24.
Hélène Morlet and Nicolas Kimmel
The first “series” of greetings was for Catholics, who this year celebrated Easter before the Orthodox Church. On the Tuesday after Easter, the Coptic and Syriac Patriarchs went to the seat of the Custody to congratulate the Franciscans. The atmosphere was warm and almost family-like, as if cousins were visiting each other for the holidays. In the Holy Land, Christians are so few in number that the different theologies fade together. What reigns is faith in Christ.
The Coptic Patriarch emphasized the joy that Christians must have in their hearts. “We are united with Christ, in order to share our joy of the Resurrection. Since Christ is risen, our joy is complete.” In turn, the Syrian archbishop wished the Friars Minor a happy Easter, bringing attention to the tragic situation that Christians in the Middle East are facing: “We must all talk about the Christian presence here, even if the powers that be are silent on this topic.”
The Saint Savior Monastery then welcomed the Ethiopian delegation, before hosting the Greek Orthodox delegation the next day. For Theophilos, the Greek Patriarch, “it is a grace to rejoice twice over the Resurrection (because of the different calendars). May the light of Christ illuminate our hearts and minds for the successful continuation of this mission.”
The Armenians’ visit was especially significant this year due to the centennial commemoration of the Armenian genocide, which their patriarch recalled. The community also wished to commemorate Brother Basilio Talatinian, the Franciscan of Armenian origin, who died a few days earlier. For the occasion, they solemnly sang prayers in a moving and silent atmosphere.
These different visits by Orthodox leaders allowed the Custos to deliver the same message: “Much has been done to improve our knowledge of one another. But we must deepen ties between churches, in order to be strong in the face of adversity. Christianity in the Middle East is under threat, but we must be steadfast in prayer, with the assurance that nothing can take away Christians’ love for Christ, not even death. “ Father Custos Pierbattista Pizzaballa is clear: Christians are not foreigners in the Holy Land; they are an integral part of the history of this land and they must remain in it.
A week after the Latin Easter, the Orthodox Church celebrated Christ’s Resurrection. It was now the Franciscans’ turn to bring their well wishes.
In the absence of the Custos, the Custodial Vicar Brother Dobromir Jasztal acted as the spokesperson for the Friars Minor. “The empty tomb is the only evidence that remains of the Resurrection. After 2000 years, it is a privilege for us to protect this place,” he said to the Greek Orthodox community. Visiting Ethiopian and Coptic communities, the second-in-command at the Custody recalled the importance of the resurrection for Christians, an “event without which our faith would be in vain.”
When greeting Armenians and Syriacs, at the monasteries of Saint James and Saint Mark, he recalled that the numerous martyrs of the 1915 genocide now contemplate the face of the risen Christ. “We do not only see them as those who have suffered for Christ, but rather those who have risen with him.” Syriac Archbishop, Mar Swerios Malki Murad, stressed that if the persecutions against the Christians have always existed, they have intensified over the past four years.
Ceremonies commemorating the Armenian and Syrian genocides will be held in Jerusalem on April 24.
Hélène Morlet and Nicolas Kimmel