Today the Indian Catholic community in the Holy Land made a pilgrimage to Nazareth for yesterday’s feast of the Annunciation. About 700 people, including families with children, met in Nazareth to go in procession from the Spring of the Virgin Mary to the Basilica of the Annunciation.
Today is Shabbat for the Jewish world: it is a day of celebration and rest for those who work and live in Israel and often the various activities of the Indian Catholic community in the Holy Land are organized on a Saturday so that as many people as possible can take part.
Father Jayaseelan ofm, the chaplain of the large community which organized today’s pilgrimage in Nazareth, explains that the aim of this pilgrimage is, in the first place, to show the love that the whole community has for the Virgin Mary and their gratitude for her having said “yes” and having become the mother of the Saviour; today the Indian community wishes to celebrate the Annunciation.
"The figure of the Virgin Mary,” Father Jaya continues, "is very close to our community: she was a woman, a wife, a mother, a migrant, a widow and a disciple. She is a beacon for the Christian vocation in the various situations we come across in our lifetime. These faithful are migrants, far from their families and loved ones, their home and they ask the Virgin Mary for help and consolation."
Father Silvio R. De La Fuente ofm, Secretary of the Custody, also took part in the procession, showing the attention of the Custody of the Holy Land for this large community. Father Romeo Lewis, parish priest of “Our Lady of Fatima” in Perampally, on the Arabia Sea and in the diocese of Mangalore in India, on the Arabian Sea, was also with this active community. "The parish has 315 families for a total of 1300 people, 90% of the population are Catholic, the remaining 10% are Hindus and Muslims, which is a rare case in India. The people live on fishing and farming. We wanted to bring a statue of Our Lady of Fatima with us to go in the procession with her and so that Brother Ricardo Bustos, Guardian of the convent of the Annunciation could bless her," Father Romeo told us. The beautiful Virgin Mary was placed on a "navicella", a structure in the shape of a boat, typical of Marian processions in places on the sea.
The appointment was at 9.00 a.m. at the Spring of the Virgin Mary. A visit to the Greek Orthodox church preceded a brief moment of prayer which marked the start of the procession accompanied by recital of the rosary and Marian songs.
In the square in front of the upper level of the Basilica, Brother Riccardo Bustos was waiting to welcome the group: "When you suffer, feel lonely and in need of consolation in your lives as migrants, do not hesitate to come to Nazareth where Jesus’ mother is the mother of us all,” he said, greeting the pilgrims. Father Jaya then made an offering of 100 kilos of rice, a symbolic gesture to show devotion to the Virgin Mary and the desire to be under her protection.
The procession then continued from the upper level to the lower level of the Basilica where all the participants passed in front of the Grotto of the Annunciation for a moment of prayer before the place where the Word took shape. This was followed by a Mass in the Salesian Church of Jesus the Adolescent.
Photos and article by Marco Gavasso
Today is Shabbat for the Jewish world: it is a day of celebration and rest for those who work and live in Israel and often the various activities of the Indian Catholic community in the Holy Land are organized on a Saturday so that as many people as possible can take part.
Father Jayaseelan ofm, the chaplain of the large community which organized today’s pilgrimage in Nazareth, explains that the aim of this pilgrimage is, in the first place, to show the love that the whole community has for the Virgin Mary and their gratitude for her having said “yes” and having become the mother of the Saviour; today the Indian community wishes to celebrate the Annunciation.
"The figure of the Virgin Mary,” Father Jaya continues, "is very close to our community: she was a woman, a wife, a mother, a migrant, a widow and a disciple. She is a beacon for the Christian vocation in the various situations we come across in our lifetime. These faithful are migrants, far from their families and loved ones, their home and they ask the Virgin Mary for help and consolation."
Father Silvio R. De La Fuente ofm, Secretary of the Custody, also took part in the procession, showing the attention of the Custody of the Holy Land for this large community. Father Romeo Lewis, parish priest of “Our Lady of Fatima” in Perampally, on the Arabia Sea and in the diocese of Mangalore in India, on the Arabian Sea, was also with this active community. "The parish has 315 families for a total of 1300 people, 90% of the population are Catholic, the remaining 10% are Hindus and Muslims, which is a rare case in India. The people live on fishing and farming. We wanted to bring a statue of Our Lady of Fatima with us to go in the procession with her and so that Brother Ricardo Bustos, Guardian of the convent of the Annunciation could bless her," Father Romeo told us. The beautiful Virgin Mary was placed on a "navicella", a structure in the shape of a boat, typical of Marian processions in places on the sea.
The appointment was at 9.00 a.m. at the Spring of the Virgin Mary. A visit to the Greek Orthodox church preceded a brief moment of prayer which marked the start of the procession accompanied by recital of the rosary and Marian songs.
In the square in front of the upper level of the Basilica, Brother Riccardo Bustos was waiting to welcome the group: "When you suffer, feel lonely and in need of consolation in your lives as migrants, do not hesitate to come to Nazareth where Jesus’ mother is the mother of us all,” he said, greeting the pilgrims. Father Jaya then made an offering of 100 kilos of rice, a symbolic gesture to show devotion to the Virgin Mary and the desire to be under her protection.
The procession then continued from the upper level to the lower level of the Basilica where all the participants passed in front of the Grotto of the Annunciation for a moment of prayer before the place where the Word took shape. This was followed by a Mass in the Salesian Church of Jesus the Adolescent.
Photos and article by Marco Gavasso