oday is the last day of the official visit to Israel and Palestine by the President of Chile, Miguel Juan Sebastián Piñera Echenique, who arrived from Rome on 3rd March where he also met the Holy Father.
After the invitation by the Israeli government to the Chilean miners, who for 69 days were blocked underground and whose story kept the world holding its breath, Chile is again present in the Holy Land.
The President, accompanied by his wife, Cecilia Morel Montes, included a visit to the Holy Places, with Father Sergio Olmedo OFM, also from Chile, acting as their guide. On Friday 4th March, the presidential couple, after a visit to the Western Wall, walked with the hole delegation through the narrow streets of the Old City to the 5th Station of the Cross in the Via Dolorosa, and from there went to the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre.
In the midst of the bustle of the Suq, the President nevertheless wanted to stop for a few seconds in prayer before some of the Stations of the Via Crucis.
President and Mrs. Piñera were very moved by the visit to the Holy Sepulchre, where the Franciscans, through Father Sergio, gave the President and his wife a gift of a crucifix and rosary in mother-of-pearl. These signs of the passion were also accompanied by a gift of the resurrection portrayed in a carved seashell. On Saturday 5th March, in the afternoon, the Presidential couple visited the Basilica of the Nativity, again accompanied by Brother Sergio Olmedo.
A brief explanation of the history of the Basilica and the Byzantine mosaics was the introduction to the visit of the Grotto of the Nativity by the presidential couple. Here, the Franciscans gave them a present of a “child” which they had lain in the manger on top of the Chilean flag. The beautiful statue will be taken to the chapel in the Palacio della Moneda, the official residence of the President of the Republic of Chile. The presidential couple then carried the child in a procession to the Basilica of St. Catherine and, after laying it at the foot of the altar, the ceremony of awarding the President the Medal of the Pilgrim by Brother Stéphane Milovitch OFM, Guardian of the Convent, began.
The authorities of Bethlehem also gave the President a nativity scene carved out of olive wood and three stones, one of which from the Grotto of the Nativity. On this occasion as well, as outside the Holy Sepulchre, the President hoped for and invoked peace between Israel and Palestine.
The ceremony was extremely moving and the President and his wife were visibly touched.
Although very many people followed the visits to the Holy Places in this period and the massive presence of the press, the couple tried to experience the visit with intimacy and the most observant did not miss the exchange of glances between them or the tender loving gestures such as clasping hands and praying together for a few seconds. It was lovely to see this humanity and this example of a Catholic family who, although occupying an important and official role, can give the right value to spirituality and faith.
The ability to stand before men and history to seek peace is all the stronger if it comes from the ability to kneel before God.
Marco Gavasso
After the invitation by the Israeli government to the Chilean miners, who for 69 days were blocked underground and whose story kept the world holding its breath, Chile is again present in the Holy Land.
The President, accompanied by his wife, Cecilia Morel Montes, included a visit to the Holy Places, with Father Sergio Olmedo OFM, also from Chile, acting as their guide. On Friday 4th March, the presidential couple, after a visit to the Western Wall, walked with the hole delegation through the narrow streets of the Old City to the 5th Station of the Cross in the Via Dolorosa, and from there went to the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre.
In the midst of the bustle of the Suq, the President nevertheless wanted to stop for a few seconds in prayer before some of the Stations of the Via Crucis.
President and Mrs. Piñera were very moved by the visit to the Holy Sepulchre, where the Franciscans, through Father Sergio, gave the President and his wife a gift of a crucifix and rosary in mother-of-pearl. These signs of the passion were also accompanied by a gift of the resurrection portrayed in a carved seashell. On Saturday 5th March, in the afternoon, the Presidential couple visited the Basilica of the Nativity, again accompanied by Brother Sergio Olmedo.
A brief explanation of the history of the Basilica and the Byzantine mosaics was the introduction to the visit of the Grotto of the Nativity by the presidential couple. Here, the Franciscans gave them a present of a “child” which they had lain in the manger on top of the Chilean flag. The beautiful statue will be taken to the chapel in the Palacio della Moneda, the official residence of the President of the Republic of Chile. The presidential couple then carried the child in a procession to the Basilica of St. Catherine and, after laying it at the foot of the altar, the ceremony of awarding the President the Medal of the Pilgrim by Brother Stéphane Milovitch OFM, Guardian of the Convent, began.
The authorities of Bethlehem also gave the President a nativity scene carved out of olive wood and three stones, one of which from the Grotto of the Nativity. On this occasion as well, as outside the Holy Sepulchre, the President hoped for and invoked peace between Israel and Palestine.
The ceremony was extremely moving and the President and his wife were visibly touched.
Although very many people followed the visits to the Holy Places in this period and the massive presence of the press, the couple tried to experience the visit with intimacy and the most observant did not miss the exchange of glances between them or the tender loving gestures such as clasping hands and praying together for a few seconds. It was lovely to see this humanity and this example of a Catholic family who, although occupying an important and official role, can give the right value to spirituality and faith.
The ability to stand before men and history to seek peace is all the stronger if it comes from the ability to kneel before God.
Marco Gavasso