He is a priest. He is experiencing the Holy Week in Jerusalem for the first time and today is Holy Thursday. This morning, at 7.00 a.m., at the end of the Patriarch’s Mass in the Holy Sepulchre, he already said to me, without finding other words: “It’s too powerful!”.
He was moved. On several occasions today our paths crossed in the Holy City, as there are multiple celebrations, from one point in the city to another. As well as those of the Custody which, in the afternoon, is divided between the Holy Sepulchre and the Cenacle, almost all the communities have at least one celebration. Jerusalem resembles a hive of prayer. And the countless pilgrims plunder here and there.
There are celebrations for all tastes, in many languages and for all ages. Thus, for the second year running, the Custody of the Holy Land, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, presided over the celebration of the Washing of the feet, in the Cenacle, for some children of the parish. Only for them, before the surprised, amazed and almost affectionately envious eyes of the pilgrims at that moment. The songs were in Arabic, accompanied by a portable organ.
The children were perhaps less nervous than the adults who had the experience of this gesture by the Patriarch during the Mass in the morning, or in the afternoon in the Latin parish of St. Saviour, but they were happy. And so was the Custos.
The groups streamed into the Cenacle, to the place where Jesus instituted the Eucharist. It is the Mystery of the day. The pilgrims in the city are numerous; there is talk of a record number of visitors since 2000. And the Cenacle is crowded with pilgrims when the group of Franciscans made their pilgrimage there at 3.30 p.m.
At this time of the day, the majority of the friars are in prayer at the Holy Sepulchre, with the seminarians of the Patriarchate, with all the doors closed, according to custom. A door was opened for them in the early afternoon, after the keys had been returned to the Sepulchre, after having been given back – according to custom – to the Custodial Vicar Artémio Vítores.
It is 6.30 p.m. and I cross paths with the priest again. Or rather we exchange glances and I see his eyes are misted over with emotion. I feel that he has withdrawn completely into himself, as if he were trying to channel a surplus of joy. In front of the Very Holy Sacrament on display, at the beginning of the Holy Hours, which will mark the night of Jerusalem, it would seem as though I could hear his heart beating; and if he were not holding himself back, I think that he would dance to this rhythm of joy, like David in front of the Ark of the Covenant.
After the joy of having received the gift of the Eucharist, a prayer vigil in the night, at Gethsemane, will commemorate the hour of betrayal and the agony of Christ.
Decidedly, Holy Thursday in Jerusalem: “It’s too powerful!”
Mab
He was moved. On several occasions today our paths crossed in the Holy City, as there are multiple celebrations, from one point in the city to another. As well as those of the Custody which, in the afternoon, is divided between the Holy Sepulchre and the Cenacle, almost all the communities have at least one celebration. Jerusalem resembles a hive of prayer. And the countless pilgrims plunder here and there.
There are celebrations for all tastes, in many languages and for all ages. Thus, for the second year running, the Custody of the Holy Land, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, presided over the celebration of the Washing of the feet, in the Cenacle, for some children of the parish. Only for them, before the surprised, amazed and almost affectionately envious eyes of the pilgrims at that moment. The songs were in Arabic, accompanied by a portable organ.
The children were perhaps less nervous than the adults who had the experience of this gesture by the Patriarch during the Mass in the morning, or in the afternoon in the Latin parish of St. Saviour, but they were happy. And so was the Custos.
The groups streamed into the Cenacle, to the place where Jesus instituted the Eucharist. It is the Mystery of the day. The pilgrims in the city are numerous; there is talk of a record number of visitors since 2000. And the Cenacle is crowded with pilgrims when the group of Franciscans made their pilgrimage there at 3.30 p.m.
At this time of the day, the majority of the friars are in prayer at the Holy Sepulchre, with the seminarians of the Patriarchate, with all the doors closed, according to custom. A door was opened for them in the early afternoon, after the keys had been returned to the Sepulchre, after having been given back – according to custom – to the Custodial Vicar Artémio Vítores.
It is 6.30 p.m. and I cross paths with the priest again. Or rather we exchange glances and I see his eyes are misted over with emotion. I feel that he has withdrawn completely into himself, as if he were trying to channel a surplus of joy. In front of the Very Holy Sacrament on display, at the beginning of the Holy Hours, which will mark the night of Jerusalem, it would seem as though I could hear his heart beating; and if he were not holding himself back, I think that he would dance to this rhythm of joy, like David in front of the Ark of the Covenant.
After the joy of having received the gift of the Eucharist, a prayer vigil in the night, at Gethsemane, will commemorate the hour of betrayal and the agony of Christ.
Decidedly, Holy Thursday in Jerusalem: “It’s too powerful!”
Mab