A sunny afternoon welcomed the President of Italy, Giorgio Napolitano and his wife Clio, to a Bethlehem in celebration. Mr. Napolitano began the day giving a “lectio magistralis” at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and concluded the morning meeting the leader of the Palestinian Authority in Bethlehem, reaching the Basilica of the Nativity in the early afternoon.
The Custos Fr. Pierbattista Pizzaballa welcomed the presidential couple at the entrance to Nativity Square. The Square was crowded with people waving Palestinian and Italian flags and the first to wait and welcome the President were schoolchildren and their teachers. Mr. and Mrs. Napolitano greeted them, shaking countless hands and exchanging greetings in Italian with the students before reaching the entrance to the Basilica.
Waiting for them was Malak (Angela in English) a young Palestinian, wearing a typical Palestinian dress in the national colours, who accompanied the President and his wife throughout their visit to the basilica. The Guardian Father, Jerzy Kraj, and the other two religious authorities representing the communities that share the Basilica of the Nativity officially welcomed the Italian personalities and Fr. Raffaele Caputo guided them in the Basilica.
With devotion they visited the grotto of the nativity and the altar of the manger, showing great interest in the star and the altar of the Magi; they then entered St. Catherine’s Church, meeting the friars of the Bethlehem convent and many Italian nuns.
Fr. Marcello Badalamenti offered the illustrious guests, in the name of the Novitiate, a small gift. They lit a candle and stood for a moment of prayer, as is tradition, at the altar of the Child Jesus and the Virgin Mary. When they came out into the cloister, there was time for a photo with the friars of the Custody.
The President then briefly greeted the Italians present in the city who operate in the territory in the lecture room in the New House and with simple words for each one, the short but very informal visit to Bethlehem came to an end. The atmosphere was one of real celebration, as if a couple of friends had come to meet their neighbours and for the Italian friars and nuns far from home for decades, it was certainly a happy family reunion.
A. & M.
The Custos Fr. Pierbattista Pizzaballa welcomed the presidential couple at the entrance to Nativity Square. The Square was crowded with people waving Palestinian and Italian flags and the first to wait and welcome the President were schoolchildren and their teachers. Mr. and Mrs. Napolitano greeted them, shaking countless hands and exchanging greetings in Italian with the students before reaching the entrance to the Basilica.
Waiting for them was Malak (Angela in English) a young Palestinian, wearing a typical Palestinian dress in the national colours, who accompanied the President and his wife throughout their visit to the basilica. The Guardian Father, Jerzy Kraj, and the other two religious authorities representing the communities that share the Basilica of the Nativity officially welcomed the Italian personalities and Fr. Raffaele Caputo guided them in the Basilica.
With devotion they visited the grotto of the nativity and the altar of the manger, showing great interest in the star and the altar of the Magi; they then entered St. Catherine’s Church, meeting the friars of the Bethlehem convent and many Italian nuns.
Fr. Marcello Badalamenti offered the illustrious guests, in the name of the Novitiate, a small gift. They lit a candle and stood for a moment of prayer, as is tradition, at the altar of the Child Jesus and the Virgin Mary. When they came out into the cloister, there was time for a photo with the friars of the Custody.
The President then briefly greeted the Italians present in the city who operate in the territory in the lecture room in the New House and with simple words for each one, the short but very informal visit to Bethlehem came to an end. The atmosphere was one of real celebration, as if a couple of friends had come to meet their neighbours and for the Italian friars and nuns far from home for decades, it was certainly a happy family reunion.
A. & M.