The Christians of the Holy Land have a tireless devotion for the Virgin Mary. It is a love made up of devoted prayer, as well as gestures and events, major and minor, such as the tradition of entrusting their daughters to the Virgin Mary, dressing them in the month of May in the white dress, veil and pale blue cloak usually worn by the Mother of God in traditional iconography.
To close this month dedicated to the Virgin Mary, on the evening of May 31st, the Christians of the Latin rite of Jerusalem formed a long procession, accompanying the statue of the Madonna along the streets of the Old City, carried by the girls from St. Joseph School.
Led by Bishop Kamal Bathish, Auxiliary Bishop and Vicar General Emeritus, and by the Father Custos, Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa, many faithful followed the procession from St. Saviour’s Convent to the Latin Patriarchate. Continuously singing hymns to the Virgin Mary, they then returned to the Franciscan convent through the festively decorated streets as evening fell for the last prayer to the Mother of all, to whom this land entrusts itself – every day.
By Serena Picariello
Photos by Marco Gavasso
To close this month dedicated to the Virgin Mary, on the evening of May 31st, the Christians of the Latin rite of Jerusalem formed a long procession, accompanying the statue of the Madonna along the streets of the Old City, carried by the girls from St. Joseph School.
Led by Bishop Kamal Bathish, Auxiliary Bishop and Vicar General Emeritus, and by the Father Custos, Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa, many faithful followed the procession from St. Saviour’s Convent to the Latin Patriarchate. Continuously singing hymns to the Virgin Mary, they then returned to the Franciscan convent through the festively decorated streets as evening fell for the last prayer to the Mother of all, to whom this land entrusts itself – every day.
By Serena Picariello
Photos by Marco Gavasso