Saint Saviour’s Church was filled on Tuesday, November 25th, for the celebration of the Mass commemorating 30 days since the death of Brother Michele Piccirillo. This was his first official memorial in Jerusalem and followed services in Italy and Jordan.
The Custos of the Holy Land, Brother Pierbattista Pizzaballa, in the presence of the Apostolic Nuncio Msgr. Antonio Franco, was accompanied by around a hundred priests. The congregation included Christians, Jews and Muslims; religious brothers and sisters and lay people; foreigners from a multitude of nations; Palestinians and Israelis; eminent scholars and simple friends. In his homily, Father Claudio Bottini, dean of the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum, noted that although it has been said that Father Piccirillo was argumentative, here he created unanimity around him.
After paying homage to Father Piccirillo’s intellectual caliber, which was echoed in the international press, the homily brought "the friar minor", the "man for all days", to life, with the witness of an edifying religious life, as well.
For those who knew Italian, these were very moving memories. It revealed a great deal of the spirit of faith in which Father Piccirillo lived out his last weeks. (Editorial Note: The homily is translated here into all languages used on the site.) For the others, a leaflet in English and Arabic outlining Father Michele’s life was distributed after the celebration of Mass on the way to Immaculata Hall.
Inside Immaculata Hall, a large number of people stayed after the condolences to see Father Michele Piccirillo at his work, thanks to the film Tiles of Peace (Tessere di Pace) by Luca Archibugi. The film is dedicated to his mosaic restoration work and how Father Piccirillo wanted to make that a factor of peace in a Middle East without borders. A magnificent documentary, it received an award at the third “Golden Capitals” International Archaeological Film Festival.
It was all there: his voice, his face, his calloused hands, his passion for mosaic art, and the results of his work - restored mosaics revealing their splendor from Egypt to Syria, by way of Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Territories.
It was hard to tell if the audience was more fascinated by the work or by this new teaching from Father Michele Piccirillo.
Leaving and regretfully going our separate ways, there was nothing to do but take up Father Bottini’s words: "his life was filled with meaning and lived to the full. […] we can even say that it is equally valid for him the words of the dying Jesus on the Cross: “It is accomplished”, notwithstanding the impression of incompleteness with regards to the many projects undertaken and a future still open. His absence will not disappear but our disheartenment will find consolation and our steps find new vigour in the thought and hope that we will meet again one day in the Kingdom of God. And thus we hope: May God grant it to us. Amen! Alléluia!"
MAB
The Custos of the Holy Land, Brother Pierbattista Pizzaballa, in the presence of the Apostolic Nuncio Msgr. Antonio Franco, was accompanied by around a hundred priests. The congregation included Christians, Jews and Muslims; religious brothers and sisters and lay people; foreigners from a multitude of nations; Palestinians and Israelis; eminent scholars and simple friends. In his homily, Father Claudio Bottini, dean of the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum, noted that although it has been said that Father Piccirillo was argumentative, here he created unanimity around him.
After paying homage to Father Piccirillo’s intellectual caliber, which was echoed in the international press, the homily brought "the friar minor", the "man for all days", to life, with the witness of an edifying religious life, as well.
For those who knew Italian, these were very moving memories. It revealed a great deal of the spirit of faith in which Father Piccirillo lived out his last weeks. (Editorial Note: The homily is translated here into all languages used on the site.) For the others, a leaflet in English and Arabic outlining Father Michele’s life was distributed after the celebration of Mass on the way to Immaculata Hall.
Inside Immaculata Hall, a large number of people stayed after the condolences to see Father Michele Piccirillo at his work, thanks to the film Tiles of Peace (Tessere di Pace) by Luca Archibugi. The film is dedicated to his mosaic restoration work and how Father Piccirillo wanted to make that a factor of peace in a Middle East without borders. A magnificent documentary, it received an award at the third “Golden Capitals” International Archaeological Film Festival.
It was all there: his voice, his face, his calloused hands, his passion for mosaic art, and the results of his work - restored mosaics revealing their splendor from Egypt to Syria, by way of Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Territories.
It was hard to tell if the audience was more fascinated by the work or by this new teaching from Father Michele Piccirillo.
Leaving and regretfully going our separate ways, there was nothing to do but take up Father Bottini’s words: "his life was filled with meaning and lived to the full. […] we can even say that it is equally valid for him the words of the dying Jesus on the Cross: “It is accomplished”, notwithstanding the impression of incompleteness with regards to the many projects undertaken and a future still open. His absence will not disappear but our disheartenment will find consolation and our steps find new vigour in the thought and hope that we will meet again one day in the Kingdom of God. And thus we hope: May God grant it to us. Amen! Alléluia!"
MAB