Red rose petals, like drops of blood, are scattered over the rock of Gethsemane, on which Christ sweated blood (Luke 22, 39-44) to the singing of “Vexilla Regis”, the ancient hymn in honour of the Holy Cross on which Christ gave his life for the salvation of humanity. This is the initial act of the Mass that the friars of the Custody of the Holy Land celebrated at Gethsemane for the solemnity of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord […]
The Franciscan March, entitled “Impact” took place in Lebanon from Thursday 31 August to Sunday 3 September: the impact is that of young people on the Church and that of the Church on young people. For four days, 65 youngsters “left everything” to start a dialogue with the Lord. The days were marked by walking and praying, by moments of reflection, fraternal sharing and the community life with singing, dancing and games. “We are pleased to have been able to […]
More than 30 friars of the Custody of the Holy Land live in the nine convents in Galilee (the region in the north of Israel, near the border with Lebanon), from Haifa to Acre, to Capernaum (Kfar Nahum), Tabgha and Magdala, on the Sea of Galilee, via Nazareth, Cana and Mujeidel, and going up to Mount Tabor. For some weeks now, the friars have been dealing with the intensification of missiles launched from Lebanon. “We have been living with missiles […]
It already promises to be the first step on a path that cannot stop. The meeting dedicated to the "Mediterranean frontier of peace" brought together for three days 58 bishops and patriarchs of 20 countries to discuss the main challenges of the Mediterranean basin - peace, migration, dialogue -, challenges that must be faced together. Br FRANCESCO PATTON, ofm Custos of the Holy Land "All churches, therefore, from an ecumenical perspective, must be able to speak with one voice and […]
