On 1 January 2006, in the Church of the Holy Name of Jesus in Jerusalem, His Beatitude Mgr. Michel Sabbah, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, celebrated a solemn Mass, together with the Apostolic Nuncio, Mgr. Pietro Sambi, Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, the Bishop Coadiutor, Mgr. Fuad Twal, the Auxiliary Bishop Mgr. Kamal Bathish, the Holy Land Custos , Fr. Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and the Abbots of the Dormition, Abu Gosh and Latroun Abbeys, together with numerous concelebrating priests.
In the Catholic calendar this day is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, and is also World Peace Day. In his homily the Patriach continually referred to Pope Benedict XVI’s first message for the occasion, particularly regarding the need for peace in the toubled region of the Middle East. At the end of the celebration the faithful were invited to extend the New Year’s greetings to the Patriach in the halls of the Latin Patriarchate.
Alessandro Coniglio ofm
In the Catholic calendar this day is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, and is also World Peace Day. In his homily the Patriach continually referred to Pope Benedict XVI’s first message for the occasion, particularly regarding the need for peace in the toubled region of the Middle East. At the end of the celebration the faithful were invited to extend the New Year’s greetings to the Patriach in the halls of the Latin Patriarchate.
Alessandro Coniglio ofm