Nine days in Jerusalem and then the entrance into Bethlehem. The relics of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus have been in the Holy Land for almost two months now. They arrived in Tel Aviv on 14th March, were officially received on 16th, have been on tour for more than a month and returned to visit Jerusalem on 2nd May, when the friars of the Custody accompanied them to the monastery of the Poor Clares.
Thérèse visited the Christians in the Holy City, who prayed with their devotion to the saint of Lisieux, stop after stop, until the departure yesterday for nearby Bethlehem. From there, the pilgrimage of the relics will continue to new destinations – on 24th May they will be in Gaza – until the end of the month.
Last Saturday evening, the streets of the Old City were illuminated to accompany the relics in a torchlight and candle-lit procession. From St. Saviour, Thérèse was taken to the Melkite Church. Just before that, a Mass had been celebrated for her, presided by the Maronite Archbishop, Paul Nabil Sayyah. The moment had an ecumenical flavour - in a Latin Church but celebrated according to the Maronite rite – which brought together all the Catholic parishes of Jerusalem. Packed with families and children – many of whom were in Scout uniforms, ready for the procession afterwards – St. Saviour joyfully bade farewell to the Saint, whose remains received numerous visits throughout the whole day.
The example of St. Thérèse was presented to the Christians of Jerusalem in the homily as one to follow: “Nobody can say that they cannot be like her, we have to try!”
“Thérèse overcame evil and difficulties with prayer and action, doing even small things with love, offering them for the Glory of God. She will shortly be returning to France, but we must not forget her example. Today, we must pray so that everyone – big or small, poor or rich – always remembers that God is at our side and lives their life in the light of what Thérèse teaches us. We pray so that we can, as she did, bear witness for Jesus to those who do not know him yet.”
Written by Serena Picariello
Photos by Marco Gavasso
Thérèse visited the Christians in the Holy City, who prayed with their devotion to the saint of Lisieux, stop after stop, until the departure yesterday for nearby Bethlehem. From there, the pilgrimage of the relics will continue to new destinations – on 24th May they will be in Gaza – until the end of the month.
Last Saturday evening, the streets of the Old City were illuminated to accompany the relics in a torchlight and candle-lit procession. From St. Saviour, Thérèse was taken to the Melkite Church. Just before that, a Mass had been celebrated for her, presided by the Maronite Archbishop, Paul Nabil Sayyah. The moment had an ecumenical flavour - in a Latin Church but celebrated according to the Maronite rite – which brought together all the Catholic parishes of Jerusalem. Packed with families and children – many of whom were in Scout uniforms, ready for the procession afterwards – St. Saviour joyfully bade farewell to the Saint, whose remains received numerous visits throughout the whole day.
The example of St. Thérèse was presented to the Christians of Jerusalem in the homily as one to follow: “Nobody can say that they cannot be like her, we have to try!”
“Thérèse overcame evil and difficulties with prayer and action, doing even small things with love, offering them for the Glory of God. She will shortly be returning to France, but we must not forget her example. Today, we must pray so that everyone – big or small, poor or rich – always remembers that God is at our side and lives their life in the light of what Thérèse teaches us. We pray so that we can, as she did, bear witness for Jesus to those who do not know him yet.”
Written by Serena Picariello
Photos by Marco Gavasso