The weather has been capricious during this Spring of 2007 in the Holy Land. After a beautiful weekend, the Holy City of Jerusalem was drenched in rain Saturday night. Everyone had the same question: what will it be like for tomorrow’s Palm Sunday Procession?
Prayers and clouds must have vied with one other in the heavens, and the prayers won, in spite of a few drops of rain. But the grand prize went to the wind! The wind blew caps, hats, and veils, disarranged quite a few habits, and made trouble for the banner bearers. But it did not discourage the large, colorful crowds.
Two hours went by between the passing of the first and the last pilgrims along this route that normally takes thirty minutes, the route from the Bethpage sanctuary to Saint Anne’s, at the beginning of the Via Dolorosa.
Not only were all continents represented, but also most Christian denominations. Although this procession along the side of the Jewish cemetery is Latin, in the crowd were Copts come to Jerusalem for the Easter feasts; whole families of Palestinian Christians, families that are often ecumenical; ecumenical groups of Protestants and Catholics together… Since we are all celebrating Easter together, it was too wonderful an occasion to miss the chance to acclaim Jesus the Messiah together and to take part in a 16-century-old tradition.
Ever since the fourth century, Jerusalem Christians have been celebrating Jesus’ messianic entry into Jerusalem with a procession on the slopes of the Mount of Olives. The faithful, and especially children and catechumens, all dressed in white, climbed to the top of the Mount of Olives, where they cut branches that they waved as they gathered around the bishop. They all set out toward the city where, after a stop at Gethsemane, they entered by Benjamin’s Gate (also known as the Lions Gate or St. Stephen’s Gate) and then proceeded to the Basilica of the Anastasis (Resurrection) to sing hymns and read texts related to the feast.
It was the Caliph Hakim bin-Amr Allah (998-1021) who prohibited the procession in 1008, influenced by fear of the Millennial Year.
Reestablished during the Crusades, the procession was once again prohibited during the Ottoman Empire. In 1933, under the British Mandate and at the initiative of Monsignor Luis Barlassina, then-Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, it was reinstituted.
This year, 2007, Mgr. Michel Sabbah was accompanied by several ranking prelates, including the Apostolic Delegate, Mgr. Antonio Franco; the coadjucator bishop, Mgr. Fouad Twal; Mgr. Kamal Bathish; the Custos of the Holy Land, Pierbattista Pizzaballa; the abbot of Abu Gosh, Father Charles Galichet.
Many Palestinian parishes came, as well. For the Christians who live on the other side of the wall, it is a great joy to be able to come and pray in Jerusalem.
In spite of the beginning of the Jewish Passover holiday and the closure of the Territories for “security reasons”, it seems that many transit permits were issued by the Israeli authorities under pressure from the local religious authorities, including – and this is remarkable – permits for Christians from the Gaza Strip.
The Ministry of Tourism puts at one million the number of pilgrims visiting the country for the Easter holidays, a 10% increase over last year.
Although they were very much in evidence during the procession, we do not have a police estimate of the number of pilgrims who descended the slopes of the Mount of Olives. “There were thousands,” was the laconic comment of the Jerusalem Post.
What is sure is that not everyone was able to fit into the gardens of the White Fathers at Saint Anne’s, where, after a discourse inviting the faithful to love men of all religions and nationalities and to be reconciled with God so as to become a source of light, and an instrument of forgiveness and reconciliation, Mgr. Michel Sabbah gave his blessing.
While the crowd dispersed, some people continued the festivities with songs and dances in the garden, while others moved toward Damascus Gate and the New Gate, where the Scout parade was to take place. “Today,” said a city resident, “we Christian Arabs can openly express our faith all day long. It’s tiring running around here and there, but what joy!”
MAB and AV
Prayers and clouds must have vied with one other in the heavens, and the prayers won, in spite of a few drops of rain. But the grand prize went to the wind! The wind blew caps, hats, and veils, disarranged quite a few habits, and made trouble for the banner bearers. But it did not discourage the large, colorful crowds.
Two hours went by between the passing of the first and the last pilgrims along this route that normally takes thirty minutes, the route from the Bethpage sanctuary to Saint Anne’s, at the beginning of the Via Dolorosa.
Not only were all continents represented, but also most Christian denominations. Although this procession along the side of the Jewish cemetery is Latin, in the crowd were Copts come to Jerusalem for the Easter feasts; whole families of Palestinian Christians, families that are often ecumenical; ecumenical groups of Protestants and Catholics together… Since we are all celebrating Easter together, it was too wonderful an occasion to miss the chance to acclaim Jesus the Messiah together and to take part in a 16-century-old tradition.
Ever since the fourth century, Jerusalem Christians have been celebrating Jesus’ messianic entry into Jerusalem with a procession on the slopes of the Mount of Olives. The faithful, and especially children and catechumens, all dressed in white, climbed to the top of the Mount of Olives, where they cut branches that they waved as they gathered around the bishop. They all set out toward the city where, after a stop at Gethsemane, they entered by Benjamin’s Gate (also known as the Lions Gate or St. Stephen’s Gate) and then proceeded to the Basilica of the Anastasis (Resurrection) to sing hymns and read texts related to the feast.
It was the Caliph Hakim bin-Amr Allah (998-1021) who prohibited the procession in 1008, influenced by fear of the Millennial Year.
Reestablished during the Crusades, the procession was once again prohibited during the Ottoman Empire. In 1933, under the British Mandate and at the initiative of Monsignor Luis Barlassina, then-Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, it was reinstituted.
This year, 2007, Mgr. Michel Sabbah was accompanied by several ranking prelates, including the Apostolic Delegate, Mgr. Antonio Franco; the coadjucator bishop, Mgr. Fouad Twal; Mgr. Kamal Bathish; the Custos of the Holy Land, Pierbattista Pizzaballa; the abbot of Abu Gosh, Father Charles Galichet.
Many Palestinian parishes came, as well. For the Christians who live on the other side of the wall, it is a great joy to be able to come and pray in Jerusalem.
In spite of the beginning of the Jewish Passover holiday and the closure of the Territories for “security reasons”, it seems that many transit permits were issued by the Israeli authorities under pressure from the local religious authorities, including – and this is remarkable – permits for Christians from the Gaza Strip.
The Ministry of Tourism puts at one million the number of pilgrims visiting the country for the Easter holidays, a 10% increase over last year.
Although they were very much in evidence during the procession, we do not have a police estimate of the number of pilgrims who descended the slopes of the Mount of Olives. “There were thousands,” was the laconic comment of the Jerusalem Post.
What is sure is that not everyone was able to fit into the gardens of the White Fathers at Saint Anne’s, where, after a discourse inviting the faithful to love men of all religions and nationalities and to be reconciled with God so as to become a source of light, and an instrument of forgiveness and reconciliation, Mgr. Michel Sabbah gave his blessing.
While the crowd dispersed, some people continued the festivities with songs and dances in the garden, while others moved toward Damascus Gate and the New Gate, where the Scout parade was to take place. “Today,” said a city resident, “we Christian Arabs can openly express our faith all day long. It’s tiring running around here and there, but what joy!”
MAB and AV