The sanctuary of St. John in the Desert, the third sanctuary of the Custody in Aïn Karem and the memorial of the place where the Precursor found Refuge during the massacre of the Innocents, officially revived this year with its Custodial pilgrimage.
After having purchased the sanctuary in 1911, the Franciscans – after the end of the First World War – established a pilgrimage to St. John of the Desert which took place on the evening of 22nd June. This pilgrimage continued until the a monastic community of the Greek Catholic rite settled in the convent. As this community has left and the Custody has reacquired the premises, the pilgrimage to the Desert was only resumed as a special devotion. In recent years, the students of the Custody liked to come, after the celebration of the mass of the day, to this particularly beautiful spot where the wind, in the late afternoon, plays with the branches of the trees in the surrounding forest.
The discretorium of the Custody wanted to include the pilgrimage in the calendar of the Custody once again as a custodial pilgrimage and celebration of the sanctuary.
This is how numerous Franciscans from Jerusalem, from the communities of Aïn Karem and Bethlehem came together to sing the first vespers of the feast-day in the small chapel of the convent before going in a procession to the cave that marks the holy place itself.
Father Artemio Vitores, Custodial Vicar, presided the service and he also presided the solemn mass the next day at the sanctuary of St. John in the Mountain where the procession once again led the assembly to a cave which commemorates the birthplace of St. John the Baptist.
Brothers Ibrahim Faltas and Nerwan Nasser Al-Banna, the priests of the Latin parish of Jerusalem who had come with the children from the Sunday school and some catechists and volunteers, had preceded him to the altar.
During the Eucharist, six friars were instituted readers and four others acolytes, namely the very first stages of the ordained ministries which should lead most of them to the diaconate and the priesthood.
At the end of the celebrations in the two sanctuaries, the faithful were able to enjoy the hospitality of the Guardians of the Places, Fr. Sergio Olmedo Flores at St. John of the Desert and Fr. Nicolás Marquéz-Gutiérrez à St. John in the Mountain to share the meals that had been prepared for them and extending the feast-day of the one who designated Christ to us in the joy of the encounter.
To read the homily of Father Artemio Vìtores in Ein Karem, click here (in Italian).
To read the homily of Father Artemio Vìtores in St. John of the Desert click here (in Italian)
Mab
After having purchased the sanctuary in 1911, the Franciscans – after the end of the First World War – established a pilgrimage to St. John of the Desert which took place on the evening of 22nd June. This pilgrimage continued until the a monastic community of the Greek Catholic rite settled in the convent. As this community has left and the Custody has reacquired the premises, the pilgrimage to the Desert was only resumed as a special devotion. In recent years, the students of the Custody liked to come, after the celebration of the mass of the day, to this particularly beautiful spot where the wind, in the late afternoon, plays with the branches of the trees in the surrounding forest.
The discretorium of the Custody wanted to include the pilgrimage in the calendar of the Custody once again as a custodial pilgrimage and celebration of the sanctuary.
This is how numerous Franciscans from Jerusalem, from the communities of Aïn Karem and Bethlehem came together to sing the first vespers of the feast-day in the small chapel of the convent before going in a procession to the cave that marks the holy place itself.
Father Artemio Vitores, Custodial Vicar, presided the service and he also presided the solemn mass the next day at the sanctuary of St. John in the Mountain where the procession once again led the assembly to a cave which commemorates the birthplace of St. John the Baptist.
Brothers Ibrahim Faltas and Nerwan Nasser Al-Banna, the priests of the Latin parish of Jerusalem who had come with the children from the Sunday school and some catechists and volunteers, had preceded him to the altar.
During the Eucharist, six friars were instituted readers and four others acolytes, namely the very first stages of the ordained ministries which should lead most of them to the diaconate and the priesthood.
At the end of the celebrations in the two sanctuaries, the faithful were able to enjoy the hospitality of the Guardians of the Places, Fr. Sergio Olmedo Flores at St. John of the Desert and Fr. Nicolás Marquéz-Gutiérrez à St. John in the Mountain to share the meals that had been prepared for them and extending the feast-day of the one who designated Christ to us in the joy of the encounter.
To read the homily of Father Artemio Vìtores in Ein Karem, click here (in Italian).
To read the homily of Father Artemio Vìtores in St. John of the Desert click here (in Italian)
Mab