On the occasion of the appeal of H.B. Card. Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Custos of the Holy Land, Fr. Francesco Patton, addressed a letter to the friars of the Custody inviting them to dedicate the Solemnity of the Assumption, 15 August, to the prayer for peace in the Middle East and throughout the world. For this important day, the Custos of the Holy Land requested and received from His Beatitude the ecclesiastical approval of the prayer to the Virgin (the text of which is published below).
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To all the friars of the Custody
Dear Brothers,
May the Lord give you peace!
As His Most Eminent Beatitude, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, our brother and Patriarch, reminded us, we are living in very difficult times, in which it is particularly important to pray for peace.
I seem to see a hopeful sign in the fact that the parties involved have agreed to resume talks for the ceasefire in Gaza, the liberation of the hostages and that of political prisoners on the very day in which we celebrate Mary assumed into Heaven in body and soul, a sign of sure hope and consolation for us pilgrims on earth (GS 68).
For this reason, in agreement with the Guardian and the fraternity of Gethsemane, we have decided to dedicate the celebrations of the day of the Assumption to prayer for peace in the Holy Land and throughout the world.
We know that when the sign of the Woman who is about to give birth appears in Heaven, the infernal dragon also appears and is unleashed against her children (Rev 12:1 ff.) but is opposed by the celestial militias led by St. Michael the Archangel. For this reason, we believe it is even more important that this day be one of intense prayer, also using the prayer formula for which I have specifically asked ecclesiastical approval from His Beatitude and that the Patriarchate himself will use.
May the Virgin Mary obtain today what she has already sung in the Magnificat and that Her divine Son proclaimed in the Beatitudes: “the proud may be scattered in the imaginations of their hearts; the mighty may be overthrown from their thrones, and the humble may be exalted; may the hungry be filled with good things, may the peaceful be recognized as children of God and may the meek receive the gift of the earth”.
All those who can, on the 14th and 15th August, should participate in the celebrations at Gethsemane according to the programme sent by the Custodial Secretariat, the others should value the celebrations in fraternity and include the appropriate “Supplication for peace to the B.V. Mary Assumed into Heaven”.
May the Lord bless you and keep you all, Fra Francesco Patton, Custode di Terra Santa
O most glorious Mother of God,
raised above the choirs of angels,
pray for us with Saint Michael the Archangel
and with all the angelic powers of heaven and with all the saints,
to your most holy and beloved Son, our Lord and master.
Obtain for this Holy Land, for all His children and for all humanity the gift of reconciliation and peace.
May your prophecy be fulfilled:
the proud are scattered in the imaginations of their hearts;
the mighty are overthrown from their thrones,
and finally, the humble are raised;
Let the hungry be filled with good things,
the peaceful be recognized as children of God
and that the meek may receive the earth as a gift.
May Jesus Christ, your Son, grant us this,
He who exalted you today above the choirs of angels,
who crowned you with the diadem of the Kingdom,
and has placed you on the throne of eternal splendour.
To him be honour and glory forever. Amen.
