On Monday, the first of January, World Peace Day, the Franciscan friars of Saint Saviour’s Convent came to the Latin Patriarchate where, on this first day of the year, the Latin Church in Jerusalem meets to pray for that peace, so deeply desired yet, in the words of His Beatitude Mgr Michel Sabbah, “seemingly always farther away.”
The church was full. Most of the city’s religious congregations were represented, joining local faithful and pilgrims from all the continents to sing the Veni Sancte Spiritu. The Holy Spirit is essential for the examination of conscience the Patriarch of Jerusalem recommended, so that everyone might find in his life the path that is opened to true peacemakers. In his homily, Mgr Sabbah lengthily cited Pope Benedict XVI, who has written several Messages of Peace during this Christmas season, particularly “The Human Person, the Heart of Peace”, written for the occasion. The Custody’s choir animated the songs during one of the most prayerful and beautiful ceremonies of the year, at the conclusion of which everyone exchanged New Year greetings while in the Patriarchate’s reception halls the principal celebrants received personal greetings.
MAB
The church was full. Most of the city’s religious congregations were represented, joining local faithful and pilgrims from all the continents to sing the Veni Sancte Spiritu. The Holy Spirit is essential for the examination of conscience the Patriarch of Jerusalem recommended, so that everyone might find in his life the path that is opened to true peacemakers. In his homily, Mgr Sabbah lengthily cited Pope Benedict XVI, who has written several Messages of Peace during this Christmas season, particularly “The Human Person, the Heart of Peace”, written for the occasion. The Custody’s choir animated the songs during one of the most prayerful and beautiful ceremonies of the year, at the conclusion of which everyone exchanged New Year greetings while in the Patriarchate’s reception halls the principal celebrants received personal greetings.
MAB