Of course the “Spirit blows where it wills” (cf. John 3,8), but the grace of being able to celebrate Pentecost in Jerusalem is unique. Especially when it can be experienced in the very places where the Holy Spirit descended some two thousand years ago.
This year again, after having celebrated the solemn Holy Mass in the morning in the parish church of St. Saviour in Jerusalem, the Custos presided the second Vespers in the “upper room” of the Holy Cenacle, just outside the Zion Gate, on the western hill of the Holy City. This year, however, there was something new: at the beginning of the Vesper liturgy, the Custos made a solemn entry and went in procession to the room which tradition has consecrated as the place of the Descent of the Holy Spirit. After having incensed it, he returned to the centre of the main room to start the song of Vespers.
The Custos of the Holy Land still bears the title of Guardian of the Holy Mount Zion, because the Cenacle was the first convent of the Franciscan friars in the Holy Land in the 14th century, from which they were expelled by the Turks two centuries later. This liturgy is an occasion for the friars to reassert their rights over this holy place, the birthplace of the Custody of the Holy Land, as well as, obviously, the Universal Church which, born from the pierced rib of Christ on Mount Calvary, appeared here in the Cenacle to the world in the strength of the Spirit.
After being expelled from the Holy Cenacle, the friars took the liturgical memories of the sanctuary to the church of St. Saviour, which explains why Holy Mass is celebrated in this church. The liturgy was performed by the Choir of the Holy Land and by the Yasmeen Choir from the musical point of view and by the Franciscan “Studentato” for the liturgical service.
As at the Holy Mass in the morning, there was large participation in the Vesper liturgy: men and women from religious congregations operating in the Holy Land, visiting pilgrims and the local faithful, a qualified representation of the Church of Christ, which set off on its path of missionary expansion to the whole world from this very place, almost two thousand years ago.
AC
This year again, after having celebrated the solemn Holy Mass in the morning in the parish church of St. Saviour in Jerusalem, the Custos presided the second Vespers in the “upper room” of the Holy Cenacle, just outside the Zion Gate, on the western hill of the Holy City. This year, however, there was something new: at the beginning of the Vesper liturgy, the Custos made a solemn entry and went in procession to the room which tradition has consecrated as the place of the Descent of the Holy Spirit. After having incensed it, he returned to the centre of the main room to start the song of Vespers.
The Custos of the Holy Land still bears the title of Guardian of the Holy Mount Zion, because the Cenacle was the first convent of the Franciscan friars in the Holy Land in the 14th century, from which they were expelled by the Turks two centuries later. This liturgy is an occasion for the friars to reassert their rights over this holy place, the birthplace of the Custody of the Holy Land, as well as, obviously, the Universal Church which, born from the pierced rib of Christ on Mount Calvary, appeared here in the Cenacle to the world in the strength of the Spirit.
After being expelled from the Holy Cenacle, the friars took the liturgical memories of the sanctuary to the church of St. Saviour, which explains why Holy Mass is celebrated in this church. The liturgy was performed by the Choir of the Holy Land and by the Yasmeen Choir from the musical point of view and by the Franciscan “Studentato” for the liturgical service.
As at the Holy Mass in the morning, there was large participation in the Vesper liturgy: men and women from religious congregations operating in the Holy Land, visiting pilgrims and the local faithful, a qualified representation of the Church of Christ, which set off on its path of missionary expansion to the whole world from this very place, almost two thousand years ago.
AC