A large number of Knights of Malta is presently making a pilgrimage in the Holy Land, to the roots of Hospitaller Order of Saint John, born in Jerusalem and later forced by the vicissitudes of history to move its seat to the island of Malta, whose name it bears today, and thence to Rome.
The evening of October fifth, in the reception hall of Saint Saviour’s Monastery in Jerusalem, a delegation from the Order of Malta, accompanied by the prelates of the Order and H.E. Mgr. Angelo Acerbi, met with the Custos of the Holy Land, Pierbattista Pizzaballa. The High Commander, H.E. the Venerable Bailli, Brother Giacomo Dalla Torre del Tempio di Sanguinetto, presented the greetings of His Eminent Highness, the Prince and Grand Master, Brother Andrew Bertie, who was unable to participate in the pilgrimage. He then summarized the history of the Order and its activities, principally engaged today in humanitarian works in the field of healthcare, among them, here in the Holy Land, Holy Family Hospital in Bethlehem.
Among the over 1300 pilgrims was H.E. the Most Reverend Cardinal Patrono Pio Laghi who, on the morning of October sixth, was the principal concelebrant of Holy Mass in St. Catherine’s Church in Bethlehem. In the afternoon he was met with the singing of the Te Deum by the Franciscan friars in the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher. In his welcoming address, the Custodial Vicar, Bro. Artemio Vitores, recalled that the Holy Sepulcher had been the center of attraction for the Knights of Saint John, as well as for the Franciscan friars, who today protect the Holy Place.
On Sunday, October seventh, because of the large number of participants in the pilgrimage, the Eucharist of the Resurrection of the Lord was celebrated in the sanctuary of Gethsemane, the Holy Sepulcher being unable to accommodate so many people due to its small size.
This return to the roots of their almost thousand-year-long history ended on Tuesday the ninth with Holy Mass in the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth.
AC
The evening of October fifth, in the reception hall of Saint Saviour’s Monastery in Jerusalem, a delegation from the Order of Malta, accompanied by the prelates of the Order and H.E. Mgr. Angelo Acerbi, met with the Custos of the Holy Land, Pierbattista Pizzaballa. The High Commander, H.E. the Venerable Bailli, Brother Giacomo Dalla Torre del Tempio di Sanguinetto, presented the greetings of His Eminent Highness, the Prince and Grand Master, Brother Andrew Bertie, who was unable to participate in the pilgrimage. He then summarized the history of the Order and its activities, principally engaged today in humanitarian works in the field of healthcare, among them, here in the Holy Land, Holy Family Hospital in Bethlehem.
Among the over 1300 pilgrims was H.E. the Most Reverend Cardinal Patrono Pio Laghi who, on the morning of October sixth, was the principal concelebrant of Holy Mass in St. Catherine’s Church in Bethlehem. In the afternoon he was met with the singing of the Te Deum by the Franciscan friars in the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher. In his welcoming address, the Custodial Vicar, Bro. Artemio Vitores, recalled that the Holy Sepulcher had been the center of attraction for the Knights of Saint John, as well as for the Franciscan friars, who today protect the Holy Place.
On Sunday, October seventh, because of the large number of participants in the pilgrimage, the Eucharist of the Resurrection of the Lord was celebrated in the sanctuary of Gethsemane, the Holy Sepulcher being unable to accommodate so many people due to its small size.
This return to the roots of their almost thousand-year-long history ended on Tuesday the ninth with Holy Mass in the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth.
AC