The Custody celebrates the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi with great solemnity on October 4, but on this November 10, Saint Francis was celebrated in a very different way – and what a way!
For on the occasion of the 800th anniversary of the Franciscan Order, the municipality of Ramlah granted the request by the parish priest of the Franciscan parish, Friar Abdel Massih Fayez Fahim, to name one of the city’s streets “The Franciscan Order Street”.
This inauguration was the occasion for a very beautiful feast in the city’s streets and in the courtyard of the Custody’s school.
Before the inauguration, Mayor Yoel Lavi and his municipal council welcomed in the townhall the Custos of the Holy Land, Friar Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Apostolic Nuncio, Msgr. Antonio Franco, Msgr. Giacinto-Boulos Marcuzzo, the Auxiliary Bishop and Patriarchal Vicar for Israel, many Franciscan friars who had come from all over Galilee as well as from Jerusalem, Ein Karem, and Bethlehem, Melkite and Greek-Orthodox priests, many parishioners, as well as Mr. Claudio Ricci, the mayor of Assisi, the hometown of Saint Francis, and Mr. Stefano Cimicchi, the only administrator for tourism in the region of Umbria (Italy).
The mayor briefly presented the city’s history and its present-day sociological characteristics.
According to Christian tradition, Ramlah is the ancient city of Arimathea, the city whence Joseph came, a member of the Sanhedrin who secretly became a disciple of Jesus (Jn 19:38). Because of its geographical position on the Via Maris, which linked Cairo with Damascus and the port of Jaffa with Jerusalem, the city has always been a crossing point.
Today, its proximity to Tel Aviv has turned it into a large suburb of the country’s ecomonic lung. Its population of 63,500 inhabitants is made up of about 80% Jews, 16% Muslim Arabs, 4% Christian Arabs. The mayor also underlined that the city includes inhabitants from some fifty countries and that this makes it a microcosm of Israeli society as a whole. “This multi-cultural reality” the mayor continued, “demands respect, tolerance and listening.”
The Custos thanked the mayor In a few words, and then those attending left the townhall in order to watch the parade of scouts, children from the Holy Land schools, and Franciscan youth who were carrying a statue of Saint Francis. The official personalities followed the procession to the street, where, at his arrival, the Custos uncovered the new street’s plaque.
Because the street is situated next to the parish and the school, the festivities continued in the latter’s courtyard. The parish priest and the principal of the school, Friar Abdel Masih, again thanked the mayor and his council in a cordial address. He took the opportunity to announce the expansion of the school that had been decided by the Custody’s discretionary body.
The Custos in turn spoke and recalled the ancient link that unites the Custody with Ramlah, where the first Franciscans set up house in 1296 and dedicated the sanctuary to Saint Nicodemus.
Over the past centuries, Ramlah and its Casa Nova often were the first contact with the Holy Land for the pilgrims who disembarked in Jaffa. The Custos said: “In thanking you again for this recognition of our presence in your city, the message I would like to leave today is: continue to be as curious as Nicodemus, always be attentive to seeking to understand the events, always be available for dialogue.”
The discourses were followed by a concert during which several groups and soloists performed. During the concert, refreshments and sweets were distributed to the assembly that was happy to be there. After the fireworks, which gave a sparkle to the church’s façade and to everybody’s eyes, the Raja group that had come from Jerusalem got the youngest people to dance to the tunes of very rhythmical Christian songs.
And all those dancing young people gave a very special ovation to Friar Abdel Massih to thank him for making such a beautiful feast possible. It was in fact was a big success and certainly very comforting.
Mab
For on the occasion of the 800th anniversary of the Franciscan Order, the municipality of Ramlah granted the request by the parish priest of the Franciscan parish, Friar Abdel Massih Fayez Fahim, to name one of the city’s streets “The Franciscan Order Street”.
This inauguration was the occasion for a very beautiful feast in the city’s streets and in the courtyard of the Custody’s school.
Before the inauguration, Mayor Yoel Lavi and his municipal council welcomed in the townhall the Custos of the Holy Land, Friar Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Apostolic Nuncio, Msgr. Antonio Franco, Msgr. Giacinto-Boulos Marcuzzo, the Auxiliary Bishop and Patriarchal Vicar for Israel, many Franciscan friars who had come from all over Galilee as well as from Jerusalem, Ein Karem, and Bethlehem, Melkite and Greek-Orthodox priests, many parishioners, as well as Mr. Claudio Ricci, the mayor of Assisi, the hometown of Saint Francis, and Mr. Stefano Cimicchi, the only administrator for tourism in the region of Umbria (Italy).
The mayor briefly presented the city’s history and its present-day sociological characteristics.
According to Christian tradition, Ramlah is the ancient city of Arimathea, the city whence Joseph came, a member of the Sanhedrin who secretly became a disciple of Jesus (Jn 19:38). Because of its geographical position on the Via Maris, which linked Cairo with Damascus and the port of Jaffa with Jerusalem, the city has always been a crossing point.
Today, its proximity to Tel Aviv has turned it into a large suburb of the country’s ecomonic lung. Its population of 63,500 inhabitants is made up of about 80% Jews, 16% Muslim Arabs, 4% Christian Arabs. The mayor also underlined that the city includes inhabitants from some fifty countries and that this makes it a microcosm of Israeli society as a whole. “This multi-cultural reality” the mayor continued, “demands respect, tolerance and listening.”
The Custos thanked the mayor In a few words, and then those attending left the townhall in order to watch the parade of scouts, children from the Holy Land schools, and Franciscan youth who were carrying a statue of Saint Francis. The official personalities followed the procession to the street, where, at his arrival, the Custos uncovered the new street’s plaque.
Because the street is situated next to the parish and the school, the festivities continued in the latter’s courtyard. The parish priest and the principal of the school, Friar Abdel Masih, again thanked the mayor and his council in a cordial address. He took the opportunity to announce the expansion of the school that had been decided by the Custody’s discretionary body.
The Custos in turn spoke and recalled the ancient link that unites the Custody with Ramlah, where the first Franciscans set up house in 1296 and dedicated the sanctuary to Saint Nicodemus.
Over the past centuries, Ramlah and its Casa Nova often were the first contact with the Holy Land for the pilgrims who disembarked in Jaffa. The Custos said: “In thanking you again for this recognition of our presence in your city, the message I would like to leave today is: continue to be as curious as Nicodemus, always be attentive to seeking to understand the events, always be available for dialogue.”
The discourses were followed by a concert during which several groups and soloists performed. During the concert, refreshments and sweets were distributed to the assembly that was happy to be there. After the fireworks, which gave a sparkle to the church’s façade and to everybody’s eyes, the Raja group that had come from Jerusalem got the youngest people to dance to the tunes of very rhythmical Christian songs.
And all those dancing young people gave a very special ovation to Friar Abdel Massih to thank him for making such a beautiful feast possible. It was in fact was a big success and certainly very comforting.
Mab