Sunday, June 22. The doors of the Holy Sepulcher open before His Beatitude Msgr. Fouad Twal for his Solemn Entry as the new Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem.
During the past two and a half years as Coadjutor, Msgr. Fouad Twal has already had occasion to make solemn entries into the Basilica of the Resurrection for various celebrations during the liturgical calendar. But on this first Sunday of summer, the new pastor of the Church of the Holy Land had very special sentiments. A large crowd, whose joy and curiosity made it a little undisciplined and noisy, came out to welcome him: their new pastor, their old bishop, their son of Jordan, their cousin, their friend, their brother, their new patriarch…
They crowded in from all over the world—the faithful, acquaintances, civil and religious authorities from all denominations and from many countries to see him enter and to receive his first blessing.
For this entry was no less solemn for all the agitation surrounding it, and all aspects of its solemnity were observed.
It started with an impressive cortège, preceded by the Scouts and the Kawas, that started out from the Latin Patriarchate and continued to Jaffa Gate and from there to the forecourt of the Holy Sepulcher. The closed doors opened before Msgr. Twal, who kissed the Stone of Anointing, and sprinkled the crowd with holy water before listening to a warm welcome by the Custos of the Holy Land, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, who expressed "the joy of being a Church, the people of God, a community of disciples of Jesus who welcome you as their guide, the successor of the apostles chosen by our Lord Jesus to announce the Good News here on earth in simplicity and truth".
To him who recently declared, "I want to sow the joy of living," the Custos said in the Basilica of the Resurrection, "What would be our faith without joy?" And where is its source if not in the Resurrection of the Lord, in the victory of Jesus who died for love of us, who was crucified for the salvation of all people, the joy that he has us obtain here, resurrected like Christ, living forever and forever staying with us."
The cortège then preceded to the empty Tomb to the sound of the Te Deum, stopping in front of it, where the celebration continued. After the Gospel was read by the Custos before His Eminence Cardinal Foley, Grand Master of the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher, accompanied by an international delegation of Knights and Ladies; Msgr. Camillo Ballin, bishop of Kuwait and representative of the Conference of Latin Bishops in Arab Regions; the Catholic ordinaries of the Holy Land, numerous priests, religious brothers and sisters, representatives of all the Orthodox and Protestant Churches; the Consuls of Spain, France, Belgium and Italy, representatives of civil and religious authorities, His Beatitude’s family who came from Jordan, and a crowd of the faithful and numerous journalists, was the reading of the papal bull of his nomination by Msgr. Kamal Bathish. Then Msgr. Salim Sayegh, Auxiliary Bishop of the diocese in Jordan addressed a few words of welcome to the new Patriarch, who addressed the crowd in turn. His Beatitude, Patriarch Fouad Twal’s message expressed his trust. Trust in God, first of all: "Just as the distance from Golgotha to the empty Tomb is short, so is, we know, the distance from death to Resurrection. That is why there is no reason to be afraid."
Then, trust in the Church of the Holy Land and its faithful: "My confidence is also nourished by all the spiritual, human and ecclesiastical riches of this diocese."
Before restating his faith in the Resurrection and confiding his mission to the Virgin Mary, the Patriarch made three appeals in his address: An appeal to the Leaders of Nations in conflict: "Have the courage to find just solutions, so that we may all live in peace and security."
An appeal to the international community: "So that, moved by a sense of responsibility, courage and justice, it will help the populations of the region to make just decisions."
An appeal to the faithful of the three monotheistic religions and of the various Christian denominations in this holy city: "Let us continue to deepen our dialogue, to reinforce our solidarity in charity and to pursue our meetings in this spirit."
After the final benediction and the crowd’s ovation, the cortège returned to the patriarchate, where everyone was able to pay homage to the new Patriarch of Jerusalem in his apostolic seat.
His Beatitude Msgr. Fouad Twal’s motto is "Paratum cor meum", "My heart is ready," from Psalm 108. A well-chosen motto for someone whose given name in Arabic means "loving heart".
Marie Armelle Beaulieu
During the past two and a half years as Coadjutor, Msgr. Fouad Twal has already had occasion to make solemn entries into the Basilica of the Resurrection for various celebrations during the liturgical calendar. But on this first Sunday of summer, the new pastor of the Church of the Holy Land had very special sentiments. A large crowd, whose joy and curiosity made it a little undisciplined and noisy, came out to welcome him: their new pastor, their old bishop, their son of Jordan, their cousin, their friend, their brother, their new patriarch…
They crowded in from all over the world—the faithful, acquaintances, civil and religious authorities from all denominations and from many countries to see him enter and to receive his first blessing.
For this entry was no less solemn for all the agitation surrounding it, and all aspects of its solemnity were observed.
It started with an impressive cortège, preceded by the Scouts and the Kawas, that started out from the Latin Patriarchate and continued to Jaffa Gate and from there to the forecourt of the Holy Sepulcher. The closed doors opened before Msgr. Twal, who kissed the Stone of Anointing, and sprinkled the crowd with holy water before listening to a warm welcome by the Custos of the Holy Land, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, who expressed "the joy of being a Church, the people of God, a community of disciples of Jesus who welcome you as their guide, the successor of the apostles chosen by our Lord Jesus to announce the Good News here on earth in simplicity and truth".
To him who recently declared, "I want to sow the joy of living," the Custos said in the Basilica of the Resurrection, "What would be our faith without joy?" And where is its source if not in the Resurrection of the Lord, in the victory of Jesus who died for love of us, who was crucified for the salvation of all people, the joy that he has us obtain here, resurrected like Christ, living forever and forever staying with us."
The cortège then preceded to the empty Tomb to the sound of the Te Deum, stopping in front of it, where the celebration continued. After the Gospel was read by the Custos before His Eminence Cardinal Foley, Grand Master of the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher, accompanied by an international delegation of Knights and Ladies; Msgr. Camillo Ballin, bishop of Kuwait and representative of the Conference of Latin Bishops in Arab Regions; the Catholic ordinaries of the Holy Land, numerous priests, religious brothers and sisters, representatives of all the Orthodox and Protestant Churches; the Consuls of Spain, France, Belgium and Italy, representatives of civil and religious authorities, His Beatitude’s family who came from Jordan, and a crowd of the faithful and numerous journalists, was the reading of the papal bull of his nomination by Msgr. Kamal Bathish. Then Msgr. Salim Sayegh, Auxiliary Bishop of the diocese in Jordan addressed a few words of welcome to the new Patriarch, who addressed the crowd in turn. His Beatitude, Patriarch Fouad Twal’s message expressed his trust. Trust in God, first of all: "Just as the distance from Golgotha to the empty Tomb is short, so is, we know, the distance from death to Resurrection. That is why there is no reason to be afraid."
Then, trust in the Church of the Holy Land and its faithful: "My confidence is also nourished by all the spiritual, human and ecclesiastical riches of this diocese."
Before restating his faith in the Resurrection and confiding his mission to the Virgin Mary, the Patriarch made three appeals in his address: An appeal to the Leaders of Nations in conflict: "Have the courage to find just solutions, so that we may all live in peace and security."
An appeal to the international community: "So that, moved by a sense of responsibility, courage and justice, it will help the populations of the region to make just decisions."
An appeal to the faithful of the three monotheistic religions and of the various Christian denominations in this holy city: "Let us continue to deepen our dialogue, to reinforce our solidarity in charity and to pursue our meetings in this spirit."
After the final benediction and the crowd’s ovation, the cortège returned to the patriarchate, where everyone was able to pay homage to the new Patriarch of Jerusalem in his apostolic seat.
His Beatitude Msgr. Fouad Twal’s motto is "Paratum cor meum", "My heart is ready," from Psalm 108. A well-chosen motto for someone whose given name in Arabic means "loving heart".
Marie Armelle Beaulieu