Speaking and writing about the Holy Land is always an emotion, because in addition to its rich history, where so many cultures have met and mixed, this is where Christianity has its roots and the places where Jesus, the Virgin Mary and the Apostles lived. Pilgrims from all over the world keep coming with great devotion to admire and visit the House of the Annunciation in Nazareth, the Grotto in Bethlehem, Mt. Calvary, the empty tomb of Christ, or the place of the Resurrection …. Many of these places, for more than seven centuries, have been in the custody of the brothers of St. Francis of Assisi in the name of the Church. This is why, for a Franciscan, speaking about Nazareth, Bethlehem, the Cenacle, the Holy Sepulchre … is something we can never tire of. But today we are in Gethsemane. The day before his death, Jesus retreated to this place which was very familiar to him and to his Apostles. There are three very intimate places in Gethsemane which remind us of that night: The Grotto of the Apostles, the Garden of the eight olive trees and the Basilica of the Agony. Jesus invited his Apostles to keep vigil in prayer in all these three places. We know from the Gospel that Jesus found them asleep every time. Considering his deep sadness of that time, of his “yes” to his Father, Jesus went to Peter and said to him: "Were you not able to stay awake for even an hour with me?” The followers of Jesus in all ages have kept his reproach in great consideration and have wanted to repair the weakness of the Apostles in different ways. One of these is the Holy Hour. For this purpose, there is no more appropriate place than here, at the foot of the Mount of Olives, near the tomb of the Virgin Mary and almost in the Valley of the Cedron. In 1933, the Custody of the Holy Land began and still continues to hold a Holy Hour open to the public every first Thursday of the month, at 4.00 a.m. at the Basilica of the Agony. On Thursdays, at 4.00 p.m. the Votive Mass of the Sanctuary is celebrated, which also recalls that Thursday. In addition, in recent years, the Custody has offered all the groups that are lucky enough to visit the Holy Places the opportunity to spend an hour in prayer with Jesus in Gethsemane in the early hours of the night. The sanctuary is closed at the moment because it is not the period of visits, but it is opened only to groups that come to spend time in meditation.
The calendar is as follows:
BASILICA and GARDEN
From 7.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m.; from 8.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m.; from 9.30 p.m. to 10.30 p.m. (in the summer).
From 5.00 p.m. to 6.00 p.m.; from 9.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m.; from 8.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. (in the winter).
GROTTO OF THE APOSTLES
From 7.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m.; from 8.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. (only in the summer).
The Holy Hour, like the Masses, can be booked only at the Pilgrims’ Office at Jaffa Gate, Jerusalem.
The atmosphere of the whole area of Gethsemane is unique because you really feel part of the atmosphere of the place and at the same time the evangelical hour which is remembered here.
All the pilgrims speak of this experience as one of the memories of their pilgrimage to the Holy Land they remember the best. They also speak of real conversions which take place during this period of adoration in Gethsemane. They therefore repeat the pilgrimage to be there again for this hour in the night and to contemplate the great mystery of Gethsemane once again in this exceptional way. Next to the sanctuary there is a convent where six friars live. They look after this gem of Christianity, help pilgrims from all over the world and also organize and coordinate the great flow of people, because Gethsemane is one of the places that attracts the most visitors.
How beautiful it is! How tidy and clean it is ! Its silence inspires such great devotion! It is a marvellous place for contemplation and mysticism! … These are some of the most frequent comments that the Franciscan friars who are always here hear from the pilgrims.
The guardian, Father Luis García OFM
The calendar is as follows:
BASILICA and GARDEN
From 7.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m.; from 8.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m.; from 9.30 p.m. to 10.30 p.m. (in the summer).
From 5.00 p.m. to 6.00 p.m.; from 9.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m.; from 8.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. (in the winter).
GROTTO OF THE APOSTLES
From 7.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m.; from 8.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. (only in the summer).
The Holy Hour, like the Masses, can be booked only at the Pilgrims’ Office at Jaffa Gate, Jerusalem.
The atmosphere of the whole area of Gethsemane is unique because you really feel part of the atmosphere of the place and at the same time the evangelical hour which is remembered here.
All the pilgrims speak of this experience as one of the memories of their pilgrimage to the Holy Land they remember the best. They also speak of real conversions which take place during this period of adoration in Gethsemane. They therefore repeat the pilgrimage to be there again for this hour in the night and to contemplate the great mystery of Gethsemane once again in this exceptional way. Next to the sanctuary there is a convent where six friars live. They look after this gem of Christianity, help pilgrims from all over the world and also organize and coordinate the great flow of people, because Gethsemane is one of the places that attracts the most visitors.
How beautiful it is! How tidy and clean it is ! Its silence inspires such great devotion! It is a marvellous place for contemplation and mysticism! … These are some of the most frequent comments that the Franciscan friars who are always here hear from the pilgrims.
The guardian, Father Luis García OFM