Renewed by the rich graces of the Easter Season and Pentecost, the liturgy of the Churchreturns to “Ordinary Time” as we return from Jerusalem to Galilee and listen to Hisinvitation to discipleship.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus calls us to live the life He lived. Read along in Matthew,chapters 5 through 7, for a portrait of Christ, a portrait indeed that through grace, He would liketo paint in each of us! Beginning with the Beatitudes, the DNA of the Christian life, the Sermonchallenges us with teachings and standards, which only the saints would find practical, andachievable only through the daily graces of God.

Investiture celebrations and regional lieutenancy gatherings have offered me reassuringevidence of our Order’s richdevotion to God and to goodworks on behalf of Christiansin the Holy Land. Hopefully,our pace slackens a bit duringthese summer days, perhapsoffering some moments ofinterior spiritual renewal.

Might we add to our summerreading list a daily few minuteswith the New Testament and aprayerful meditation on theSermon on the Mount?

Edwin Cardinal O’Brien

Message from the Grand Master

www.oessh.va@granmagistero.oessh @GM_oessh

Called to follow Jesus

The photo of this altar on the edgeof Lake Tiberias reminds us that

the members of the Order, togetherwith all baptized, are called to

witness to Christ’s Resurrection andto manifest his presence of love in

the world today.

Newsletter N° 54

ordinis equestris sancti sepulchri hierosolymitani

jerusalem cross

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The Order in Union withthe Universal Church

Proceedings of the Grand Magisterium

The Order and the Holy Land

The Life of the Lieutenancies

Culture

c o n t e n t s

POPE ENCOURAGES ROACO TO INTENSIFYITS COMMITMENT TO YOUNG PEOPLE II

“CHRIST’S WOUNDS ARE OUR TREASURE FROMWHERE MERCY FLOWS” III

DON’T FORGET TO CELEBRATE SAINT PIUS XTHIS SUMMER! IV

PREPARING A “PILGRIMAGE TO THE PEOPLE”OF THE HOLY LAND V

CONTINENTAL MEETINGS OF THELIEUTENANTS VIII-X

ENRIC MAS APPOINTED VICE GOVERNORGENERAL FOR IBERO AMERICA XI

CARDINAL O’BRIEN MEETS THE MEMBERSOF THE ORDER XII

OPEN DOORS AT THE BEIT JALA SEMINARY XIIITHE ORDER’S SUPPORT FOR IRAQI REFUGEES

IN JORDAN XVINEW WORK ON THE HOLY SEPULCHRE RECEIVES

MAJOR FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION FROM THEKING OF JORDAN XVII

AN INVITATION TO EQUALITY FROM THE ASSEMBLYOF CATHOLIC ORDINARIES OF THE HOLY LAND XVIII

LIVING A TRANSFORMATIVE EXPERIENCEAS A YOUNG CHRISTIAN XVIII

JEAN-MARC FOURNIER, THE HERO OF NOTRE DAME XXA STAINED GLASS WINDOW OF POMPEII IN NAZARETH XXIIAN APP GATHERING MEMBERS IN PRAYER XXIII

JERUSALEM REFLECTS THE MYSTERY OF GOD XXIV

The 92nd Plenary Assembly of theROACO – Reunion of Aid Agencies forOriental Churches, of which the

Order of the Holy Sepulchre is part – washeld in Rome from June 10 to 12. During anaudience with participants, the Pope recalledthe great day of prayer for peace in theMiddle East, held in Bari a year ago, alsoexpressing his desire to go to Iraq next year.

Putting aside his prepared text, the HolyFather recalled “the wrath of God that willbe unleashed against those responsible for

countries that speak of peace but sellweapons to make these wars” consideringthat “this hypocrisy is a sin”.

Recalling his meeting of the beginning ofthe year in Abu Dhabi with the Grand Imamof Al-Azhar, Francis invited ROACO to boostthe diffusion and awareness of thedocument on fraternity signed on thatoccasion, especially among young people insearch of hope and fraternity.

Francis further encouraged ROACO tointensify its commitment to serving new

Pope encourages ROACOto intensify its commitment

to young people

The Order in Union with the Universal Church

GRAND MAGISTERIUM OF THE EQUESTRIAN ORDER OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE OF JERUSALEM00120 VATICAN CITY

E-mail: comunicazione@oessh.va Printed in June 2019

The insignia of the Order of the HolySepulchre – consisting of a largeGreek cross surrounded by four small

crosses – symbolically represent the fivewounds of Christ, which are like “the Doorsof Heaven”. This emblem is not a decoration,but a mission, the spiritual sense of which isclarified by the teachings of Pope Francis.

Since his election, six years ago, the HolyFather has constantly urged us to touch thewounds of Christ, in the same way as theApostle Thomas after the resurrection, towelcome the mercy they radiate as a sourceof peace. “Perhaps together we can touchthose wounds, confess that Jesus is risen,and proclaim him ourLord and our God.Perhaps together we canrecognize our failings andimmerse ourselves in hiswounds of love. And inthis way, we can discoverthe joy of forgiveness andenjoy a foretaste of theday when, with God’shelp, we can celebratethe Paschal mystery atone altar”, the Popeunderlined in anecumenical perspectivelast May in Sofia, beforethe Orthodox PatriarchNeophyte.

“A saint used to saythat Jesus’ crucified body

“Christ’s wounds are our treasurefrom where mercy flows”

is like a bundle of mercy, which reacheseach of us through his wounds,” he hadexplained a few days before, in St. Peter’sSquare in Rome, during the Sunday ofDivine Mercy. “All of us need mercy, as weknow. Let us draw near to Jesus and touchhis wounds in our suffering brothers andsisters. Jesus’ wounds are a treasure: mercyissues from them. Let us be courageous andtouch Jesus’ wounds. With these wounds hestands before the Father; he reveals them tothe Father, as if to say: ‘Father, this is theprice; these wounds are what I paid for mybrothers and sisters’. With his wounds, Jesusintercedes before the Father. He gives us

mercy if we draw near,and he intercedes for us.Do not forget Jesus’wounds.” (Regina Coeli,April 28, 2019).

Each member of theOrder is therefore calledto let the symbols of theinsignia sewn onto theircloak enter their heartand to spread theveneration of the HolyWounds of Christ, sourceof forgiveness and mercy.They purify and heal. Ifwe embrace andunderstand them, theycan truly change ourlives.

F.V.

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generations in the education sector, so that“young people can grow in humanity, freefrom ideological colonization, with openhearts and minds, appreciating their nationaland ecclesial roots and desiring a future ofpeace and prosperity, which leaves no one

behind and discriminates against no-one.”At the end of the audience, the Lieutenant

General Agostino Borromeo, whorepresented the Order during the meeting,asked the Holy Father to bring his blessingto all the Knights and Dames in the world.

Members of the Order of the HolySepulchre carry the Jerusalem crosson their cloaks. It is a symbol of thefive wounds of Christ. Knights andDames try to internalize this emblemto be artisans of divine mercy in theirdaily life.

Giuseppe Sarto, who became the“parish priest to the world”, wasborn in Riese, in the diocese of

Treviso, on June 2, 1835. Ordained a priestin 1858, the year of the apparitions of theVirgin in Lourdes, Giuseppe Sarto was aman of prayer, humble, a worker, “just andrighteous to the highest degree”, accordingto those who knew him. Having becomebishop of Mantua first and then Patriarch ofVenice, he fought with courage anddetermination against “the crime of themodern era” which he defined as: “Wantingto substitute Man forGod”. Though he had areturn ticket for theconclave of 1903, hedid not, in fact, returnto Venice but becamePope under the nameof Pius X, “because thePopes who havesuffered the most inthis century haveborne the name ofPius”, he explained.His work – along withhis young Secretary ofState, Cardinal RafaelMerry del Val,appointed at the age of38 –, allowed theChurch to resist theforces that sought tobring it into subjectionor under supervision,because he said, “bettersacrifice wealth thanfreedom”. He died on

August 20, 1914, a few days after the startof the First World War. He is currently theonly canonized saint who belonged to theOrder of the Holy Sepulchre, of which hewas Grand Master. To consolidate theposition of the Order in the Holy Land, PiusX reserved for himself and his successorsthe office of Grand Master by the ApostolicLetter Quam multa dated October 13, 1908,and gave the Knights a place in the papalchapels, whilst the Latin Patriarch wasappointed Rector and PerpetualAdministrator of the Order.

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The statue of Saint Pius X presides over the great continental andinternational meetings organized by the Grand Magisterium, at Palazzodella Rovere, a few meters from St. Peter’s Square.

Don’t forget to celebrate SaintPius X this summer!

August 21 is the feast of St. Pius X, the only canonized member ofthe Order of the Holy Sepulchre of which he was Grand Master.

Opening the Grand MagisteriumSpring Meeting on April 9, CardinalEdwin O’Brien joyfully announced

that – despite his 80th birthday celebratedthe day before – he would continue in hismission as Grand Master of the Order.Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal PietroParolin confirmed this personally to him.The Grand Master will also preside over adozen Investiture ceremonies in the comingmonths.

Subsequently, the Governor GeneralVisconti di Modrone provided importantinformation to the participants, includingthe appointment of a fourth Vice GovernorGeneral in the person of Enric Mas,

Lieutenant of Honour for Eastern Spain,who will be responsible for coordinating theOrder in Latin and Central America. TheGovernor also illustrated the role of the newsupport commissions he created: theeconomic and financial commission,directed by Saverio Petrillo; the commissionfor the revision of the protocol standards,managed by Alfredo Bastianelli; the spiritualcommission, led by Msgr. Fortunato Frezzaand the legal commission entrusted to FlavioRondinini. During the meeting of the GrandMagisterium, the heads of these fourcommissions were able to describe their roleand mandate in detail.

Turning to relations with the Latin

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Preparing a “pilgrimage tothe people” of the Holy Land

Proceedings of the Grand Magisterium

The Grand Magisterium Spring meeting (April 9-10, 2019).

Members of the Grand Magisterium meeting together with Cardinal Edwin O’Brien.

Patriarchate of Jerusalem, Leonardo Viscontidi Modrone welcomed the excellentcollaboration with the ApostolicAdministrator, Msgr. Pierbattista Pizzaballa,who is also Pro Grand Prior of the Order.The latter – present at the two-day meeting– presented an overview of the activitiesundertaken during the three years since hisappointment as head of the Patriarchate.Eager to consolidate the existence of theCatholic Church in the Holy City, heparticularly underlined the creation of a newparish in Jerusalem. In a broader sense, hebelieves that the “small projects” on ahuman scale – supported by the Order –have a greater impact on the life of theparishes, in a difficult context that does notfavor families (in five years the number ofsacraments celebrated have been reduced bya third, especially weddings and baptisms).Finally, Archbishop Pizzaballa was keen towarmly thank the Grand Magisterium,recalling that – not counting the fortyschools run by the Patriarchate – almost90% of the Patriarchate’s budget comes fromaid provided by the Order.

The meeting continued with its focus onfinancial matters, delineated in a report bySaverio Petrillo: donations decreased in

2018, with 13 million euros from theLieutenancies, compared to 14 million theprevious year, the year in which the Orderhad benefited from substantial bequests.Sami El-Yousef – the Patriarchate’s chiefexecutive officer – reported on financialmanagement of the Latin Catholic Church inthe Holy Land, pointing out that nowtransparency is total, thanks to a specialcouncil established by Msgr. Pizzaballa, aswell as to very rigorous internal audits. Thecentralized management of schools – whichalone represent 70% of the budget –contributes largely to greater clarity inaccounts. Notwithstanding, a deficit wasregistered in Palestine and Jordan, while theconsiderable state aid revealed a surplus inIsrael.

On the evening of the first day, themembers of the Grand Magisteriumgathered around Cardinal O’Brien tocelebrate his recent birthday and wish himmany more fruitful years leading the Order.

The following day, space was given toexamining the ongoing projects, with thereport from the President of the Holy LandCommission, Bart McGettrick, who insistedon three priorities: education, humanitarianaid and pastoral actions. The new strategy of

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The support offered by the Order to the parishes of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem also translates intothe construction of churches – for example in Jubeiha, Jordan – where Engineer Adolfo Rinaldi recentlyvisited, on behalf of the Grand Magisterium. Thanks to these works, the communities are clearlystrengthened, allowing young people in particular to grow in faith (in the photo on the left, children in theHoly Land on the day of their First Communion).

the Grand Magisterium – in agreement withArchbishop Pizzaballa – consists inprivileging small projects, with greaterattention to the situations of poverty andfragility that afflict the most vulnerablepeople. In this sense, the Order intends tosave some Christian schools in difficulty thatrisk closure said Bart McGettrick. In thesame spirit, he suggested that Knights andDames progressively move towards a“pilgrimage towards people”, mentioning inparticular the very poor Catholic families ofJerusalem.

Vice Governor of Honour and consultantto the Grand Magisterium, Adolfo Rinaldi,then took stock of the three major projectsunderway (the expansion of the parish ofJaffa of Nazareth, in Israel, as well as theHashimi kindergarten and the new churchin Jubeiha, Jordan), Sami El-Yousef – CEO ofthe Patriarchate – returned in detail to thelist of small projects that the Lieutenants canconsult in detail on the restricted access areaof their website. He reported receivingseveral requests for help weekly, insisting onthe worrying situation in Gaza. In thefuture, he hopes for greater solidarity of thevarious Christian Churches and in an

ecumenical partnership, especially withregard to educational activity.

The meeting continued with theintervention of Lieutenant General AgostinoBorromeo on the prospects for expansion ofthe Order in Slovakia and Chile. ViceGovernor General Paul Bartley – responsiblefor Asia and Oceania – highlighted that theOrder is developing particularly in thePhilippines, then Chancellor Bastianelliprovided very encouraging statisticalelements (30,000 members, of which a thirdwere women), specifying that in localchurches Knights and Dames are aware ofbeing symbolically “ambassadors” of theHoly Land.

At the conclusion of the meeting, theGrand Master noted a growing “familyspirit”, undoubtedly supported by theinternal and external communication effortsthat the November five-yearly Consultaconsolidated. He also encouraged theorganization of events at the Palazzo dellaRovere, headquarters of the GrandMagisterium, following the historic successof the Italian Environment Fund (FAI) days,which allowed 5000 visitors to discover theOrder and its mission. F.V.

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The annual North AmericanLieutenants’ meeting took place inHouston (Texas) from May 30 to June

2 led by the Grand Master of the Order,Cardinal Edwin O’Brien. The GovernorGeneral Ambassador Leonardo Visconti diModrone, Vice Governor General ThomasPogge and fourteen Lieutenants (10 US, 3Canadians and one Mexican) took part. Theannual encounter is a significant moment inthe life of the Order since the NorthAmerican component constitutes 51% of itsmembers and contributes 41% to theresources collected globally.

In a new addition to the agenda, theopening session of the first day wasdedicated exclusively to the themes ofspirituality, with the Lieutenants’ spouses

also invited to take part in an effort toemphasize the familial dimension of theOrder’s commitment. In his openingaddress, the Cardinal Grand Master gave aprofound reflection on the various spiritualthemes, which were later taken up by Rev.Father Scott Traynor.

The remaining sessions addressed thedifferent aspects of the Order’s activities,previously outlined in the introductoryreport presented of the Governor General.This report highlighted the collegiality thatcurrently prevails within the GrandMagisterium, thanks to the creation ofConsultative Commissions that support theGovernor General in the areas of economicmanagement, spirituality, protocol reviewsand disciplinary and legal matters. The

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Spirituality at the heartof the Order’s North American

Lieutenants’ meeting

Cardinal DanielDiNardo(center),president of theUnited StatesConference ofCatholicBishops andGrand Prior oftheSouthwesternUS Lieutenancy,in the companyof the GrandMaster of theOrder,LieutenantThompsonFaller, and MaryO’Brien,member of theGrandMagisterium,and herhusband.

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subsequent discussions paid particularattention to financial management,administration and communications.

On the second day of the meeting, therewas an extensive presentation by the HolyLand Commission on the situation of theprojects started by the Grand Magisteriumat the recommendation of the LatinPatriarchate of Jerusalem.

Catholic Near East Welfare Association(CNEWA) President Msgr. John Kozar alsoparticipated in the debate. On the sidelinesof the meetings, the Governor General hada series of in-depth bilateral talks with eachLieutenant, in particular, Mrs. MargarethRomano, who will take up office inSeptember as Lieutenant for USA Western.

An extremely constructive atmospherecharacterized the meeting, reflecting theagenda’s ability to perfectly balancespiritual themes and updates on the Order’sactivities. The harmony between the NorthAmerican Lieutenancies and the Grand

Magisterium Presidency was furtherunderscored by the shared awareness ofexisting problems in the Holy Land and theneed for a profound commitment to charityand prayer in endeavors to resolve them.

The group bid a fond farewell to MexicanLieutenant Gustavo Rincon whoseLieutenancy from July 1 will be part of theIberian-American region. The GovernorGeneral has announced his visit to Mexicoto meet his designated successor.

The Lieutenant for USA SouthwesternTom Standish curated the faultlessorganization of the event. The celebration ofHoly Mass in the Sacred Heart Cathedralconcluded the meeting. This was followedby a dinner with the participation ofCardinal DiNardo, Grand Prior of the localLieutenancy and President of the UnitedStates Conference of Catholic Bishops. TheNorth American Lieutenants then agreed tohold their next meeting on June 4-6, 2020 inLos Angeles.

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Participants in the meeting of North American Lieutenants in Houston.

The European Lieutenants met at theOrder’s headquarters in Rome, thePalazzo della Rovere, on June 11 and

12, in the presence of the Grand MasterCardinal Edwin O’Brien.

Due to the unforeseen absence of theGovernor General, Ambassador LeonardoVisconti di Modrone, who was in hospitalfollowing a bad fall, the Vice GovernorGeneral for Europe, Jean-Pierre de Glutz,presided over the session, which took placein a fraternal atmosphere.

Over the course of the two days, Sami El-Yousef, CEO of the Latin Patriarchate of

Jerusalem, presented the general situation inthe Holy Land and the ongoing projects inthe three priority sectors of education,humanitarian aid and pastoral care.

In addition to the plenary sessions, theLieutenants met in working groups organizedaccording to the geographical areas to whichthey belong.

In their reports presented in plenary, theimportance of regular contact with the GrandMagisterium for a better coordination ofdonations in favour of the Holy Land clearlyemerged, in addition to the desire to favourthe entry of young people into the Order,whose spiritual mission has been widelyemphasized. The appointment of a ViceGovernor General for Ibero America in theperson of Enric Mas was also announced,Lieutenant of Honour for Eastern Spain.

The Lieutenants also warmly thankedFather John Bateman, secretary of the GrandMaster who just finished his service,welcoming at the same time Father MaximBaz, Lebanese, who has succeeded him sincethe beginning of July.

At the end of the meeting, after greetingthe participants, the Grand Master expressedhis wishes for a speedy recovery for theGovernor General.

Highlights of EuropeanLieutenants Meeting

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The support of the Lieutenantsto the Governor General

During their annual meeting, all theEuropean Lieutenants wanted to express

their closeness to the Governor GeneralLeonardo Visconti di Modrone, in a hospitalfor a fracture. The greeting card they signedwas delivered to him along with a letter fromthe Grand Master and a bouquet of flowers.The Governor General, who continued towork from the hospital bed, should be backat the office at the end of June.

European Lieutenants in the courtyard of thePalazzo della Rovere, headquarters of the Orderin Rome, during their annual meeting.

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This was the last meeting of theEuropean Lieutenants that Enric Masattended in his position as Lieutenant

for Eastern Spain. However, we willdefinitely continue hearing from himbecause the Cardinal Grand Masterappointed him as new Vice GovernorGeneral for Ibero America, a newly createdrole. Mas feels that the keyword of hisposition is “service”: “Where there are noLieutenancies it is question of encouragingand where there are Lieutenancies it isquestion of being at their service providingsupport,” Mas said. “Having been aLieutenant beforehand helps me understandthe needs and expectations because theissues Lieutenants deal with have been thesame I myself experienced as a Lieutenant,”he continued. The Vice Governor Generalfor Ibero America is starting his mandate atthe end of June 2019 and he sees manyopportunities ahead. “Latin America is morethan a continent and offers great

opportunities of growth in all fields and theOrder of the Holy Sepulchre can definitelygo on developing there.” We wish Enric Masall the best in his new function.

Enric Mas appointed Vice GovernorGeneral for Ibero America

The new Vice Governor General for Ibero-America, Enric Mas, together with the Vice-Governor General for Europe, Jean-Pierre deGlutz.

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Cardinal O’Brien meetsthe members of the Order

The Jerusalem Cross at the Vatican

Cardinal Edwin O’Brien, Grand Master of the Order,periodically sends the Order’s publications to the

leaders of the Roman Curia to share the latest news andupdates from the Holy Land. Among the various responsesreceived, Cardinal Sean O’Malley, President of thePontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors andGrand Prior of the Lieutenancy for the US Northeastern,wrote: “Allow me to take this opportunity to assure you ofmy constant prayers for Your Eminence and for the wholeOrder, which in the constant work of mission and charitygives precious substance to the life of the Church in theHoly Land”.

After accompanying the Grand Magisterium staff to the Holy Land at the beginning ofFebruary, the Grand Master went to Palermo for the Investiture of the Lieutenancy forItaly Sicily on February 23 and 24.

At the end of March, he was in Naples for the Investiture of the Lieutenancy for SouthernTyrrhenian Italy. From April 26 to 28, invited by the Magistral Delegation for Russia, CardinalO’Brien celebrated the Investiture of the new members of the Order in Moscow.

In May the Lieutenancy for ItalySardinia welcomed the Cardinal whopresided at Investitures. He then presidedat other Investitures in the Lieutenancy forMalta from May 10 to 12 and finally inSwitzerland from May 15 to 19.

From May 30 to June 1 the meeting ofthe North American Lieutenants took placeunder his direction in the United Statesand in the following weeks the meeting ofthe European Lieutenants in Rome.

He presided over the first Investitureceremonies in Brussels from June 14 to 16with the Lieutenancy for Belgium, then hewas in Liverpool from 21 to 23 of the samemonth with the Lieutenancy for Englandand Wales, and finally in Tarragona fromJune 28 to 30 with the Lieutenancy forEastern Spain.

annales ordinis equestris sancti sepulcHri hierosolymitani

jerusalem cross2018-2019

With the Christiansof the Holy Landfor encounterand peace

Last May, the Grand Master presided over theInvestitures in the Lieutenancy for Malta. In thepicture we see him with the Grand Prior, ArchbishopCharles Scicluna and Lieutenant RobertoBuontempo.

Father Yacoub Rafidi – Rector of the seminary of the LatinPatriarchate of Jerusalem, actively supported by the Order of

the Holy Sepulchre – spoke with the Grand MagisteriumCommunications Office to present the formation institute for

future priests. “The members of the Order of the HolySepulchre have been part of our family since the founding of

the seminary. Every day we pray for them in a particular prayerthat we recite for benefactors and friends of the seminary

around the world”, writes the religious. This seminary – sourceof priestly formation for the Holy Land – is located in Beit Jala,

near Bethlehem, in the State of Palestine.

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The Order and the Holy Land

Open doors atthe Beit Jala seminary

Every year, our seminary life is one oflove, joy and devotion thanks to thespiritual help and financial support of

our friends, the Knights and Dames of theOrder of the Holy Sepulchre around theworld.

The Beit Jala Seminary is the heart of theLatin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the placewhere the seed of vocation takes root andflourishes. The first historical institute ofhigher education continues today, by thegrace of God, to form educated priests readyto face the 21st century. Despite thedeplorable political situation, wars andpoverty in the region, the seminary remainsa beacon for the future of Christianity in thecountry of our Redemption. Since itscreation in 1852, it has so far formed 288priests, 14 bishops, 3 patriarchs andcontinues to work for the development ofthe Mother Church of Jerusalem.

Our family includes about 100 people,including 32 minor seminarians, 18 majorseminarians, 7 priests and 3 nuns. Laypersonnel (about forty people) alsoparticipate in the life of the seminary,

helping us in the teaching and managementof the institute.

The student begins this journey at theminor seminary at the age of 13-14. Anordinary school offers all the subjectsrequired by the Palestinian Ministry ofEducation. We also offer lessons in Frenchand English. Minor seminarians areaccompanied humanely and spiritually todiscover their vocation.

A group of teachers and priests followsthe academic life as well as the developmentof the student. The daily life of the minorseminary includes numerous programs thathelp this personal development, so that thechild becomes a Christian aware of hisvocation. At the end of these studies, at theage of 18-19, if he wishes he can enter themajor seminary to undertake higher studies.

We have about 20 seminarians. Half comefrom the minor seminary.

The study program lasts nine years: apreparatory year, the two-year philosophycourse, one year at the ‘Saint Joseph’seminary in New York, three years oftheology, a pastoral year and a final year for

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diaconal and priestly ordination.The faculty of philosophy and theology is

affiliated to the Pontifical LateranUniversity of Rome since May 3, 1967. Thelessons are taught in Arabic, but alsoFrench, English and sometimes Italian.

Our mission is to provide students –future priests – with the opportunity toreceive a solid intellectual, human, spiritualand pastoral formation, starting fromtradition and based on the vision of today’suniversal Church.

At the same time, we try to take intoconsideration the challenges, characteristicsand local needs of the diocese of the LatinPatriarchate of Jerusalem. It is a minorityChurch that lives with two “majorities”:Jews and Muslims.

The challenges are many: thediscernment of vocation; the spiritualaccompaniment of the seminarian; thepolitical situation, of the local Church andof the universal Church; the formation ofpriests of the Land of Jesus. In the face ofthese challenges, three points are exploredin the seminary, namely prayer, study and

transparency.These three criteria are fundamental and

indispensable for priestly discernment, aswell as for having – according to the visionof the Church and especially of PopeFrancis – a clergy serving the people, farfrom clericalism, power and money: “Everyhigh priest, caught between men, isconstituted for the good of men in thingsthat concern God “(Hebrews 5:1). It is alsoimportant to be good shepherds who takecare of their flock, without thinking ofthemselves: “Woe to the shepherds of Israelwho feed themselves! Should not theshepherds feed the flock? “(Ezekiel 34:2).

The Knights and Dames of the Order ofthe Holy Sepulchre have been part of ourfamily since the founding of the seminary.We pray every day for them in a particularprayer that we recite for benefactors andfriends of the seminary across the world.

We are perfectly aware that thanks to theaffection and support of the members of theOrder of the Holy Sepulchre we can carryout our mission and would like to takeadvantage of this article on the seminarylife to express our deep gratitude andsincere friendship, on behalf of theseminary family.

Msgr. Pierbattista Pizzaballa with theseminarians of his diocese and their formators inthe seminary of Beit Jala, in Palestine.

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FADI QANDAH

“My name is FadiQandah, I am 25

and I am a seminarian inmy preparatory year. Istarted thinking aboutbeing a priest in the thirdyear of secondary school. Iasked myself these twoquestions: why do I notbecome a priest and do Ihave what is necessary tobecome a priest? Therefore,I asked a priest about itand he advised me first tofinish my studies.Therefore, I did, butwaiting, I became awarethat nothing in this worldis worth living, if not forJesus. When I completedmy studies, I decided tocome to the seminary andtest my vocation, findingan answer to the questionsI had”.

JIRIES SAYEJ

“I am Jiries Sayej, aPalestinian from

Ramallah; I am 24 years oldand have been studyingtheology for two years. Ientered the seminary in2009. From a very youngage, I loved helping peopleand above all, I alwayswanted to attend Mass andthe liturgy: this led me tocome to the seminary. At thebeginning, I read the lives ofthe saints and appreciatedthe story of St. Francis ofAssisi and his spirituality,like that of St. Therese ofLisieux. I greatly admiredthe simplicity of theirholiness and decided to takethem as an example andguide in my journey. Dayafter day, my vocation growsand I love it. I am veryhappy to be able to serve thegood Lord”.

NADEEM GIACAMAN

“My name is NadeemGiacaman; I am in

the third year of theologyat the seminary of theLatin Patriarchate ofJerusalem. Before entering,I studied administration atBethlehem University andheard my call there. It ismy sixth year in theseminary: my life herefollows a rich andnecessary path, whichhelps me to positivelydevelop many aspects ofmy personality, thanks toboth my studies and thepastoral experience Iobtain. During these years,God has allowed me tounderstand how He leadsme in all circumstances toHim and to the priesthood.The most important thingis that I am happy withGod’s call to serve others“.

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THREE SEMINARIANS SHARE THEIRSTORY WITH THE ORDEROF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE

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Since the arrival of IraqiChristians in Jordan in2014, the Latin

Patriarchate of Jerusalem hasbeen committed to makingtheir daily lives better.Thanks to the generosity ofthe Knights and Dames ofthe Order of the HolySepulchre, of Caritas Jordanand of the Holy See, aid hasbeen forthcoming in variousfields, allowing them theopportunity to continue topractice their faith. InJordan, Iraqi refugees fleeingthe war are considered“guests”, a statute thatguarantees them to be safe and respectedbut in practice leaves them in a “grey area”from a legal standpoint. In the absence of aclear legal status defining and framing theirlivelihoods, and given the precariouseconomic situation of the country, a largenumber of Iraqis find themselves in anextremely difficult situation.

The commitment of volunteers andnumerous Jordanian families who wanted toexpress their solidarity, has allowed us toorganize various activities that lessens by asmall degree the suffering of refugeefamilies.

The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalemcommitted itself to this generosity byfinancing housing solutions and givingaccess to services generally provided by theState (schooling expenses and costs for thepurchase of books and uniforms for 1100students, transport for 745 of them andaccess to training courses for work for 450students).

In addition, the Latin Patriarchate hosted

the 220 Iraqi families who lived in theparishes and provided humanitarian aid tothe 11,235 Iraqi refugee families, inparticular with economic support, food,clothes, water, medicines, hospital andtransport costs...

This aid project for refugees started in2014 and it also aims to give refugees theopportunity to preserve their Christianidentity by having the opportunity to go tomass, participate in spiritual retreats,celebrate Easter and Christmas and attendconcerts of sacred music.

Despite the particularly delicateeconomic, social and political situation ofthe refugees, the help offered by themembers of the Order of the HolySepulchre, the mobilization of various NGOsand the investment of the Latin Patriarchateof Jerusalem allows refugees to look to thefuture with greater serenity and to keep thehope of a better future in the diaspora alive.

(Source: Communications Officeof the Latin Patriarchate)

The Order’s support for Iraqirefugees in Jordan

With the help of the Order, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem hasprovided humanitarian aid to more than 11,000 displaced Iraqifamilies.

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On May 27, theGuardian Churches ofthe Holy Sepulchre

signed an agreement to initiatea new phase of work aroundthe tomb of Jesus. The GreekOrthodox Patriarch TheophilusIII, the Custos of the HolyLand Francesco Patton and theArmenian Patriarch NourhanManoughian agreed to jointlytake on this project.

The first phase ofrestoration of the aedicule –carried out from May 2016 toMarch 2017, partly funded bythe Order of the HolySepulchre – had highlightednew risks related to thehumidity of the basilica’s soil,which corrodes itsfoundations. The secondrestoration campaign aims toeliminate the underlyingcauses of the humidity.

The current pink stone floorrests on a metal structure,which is being corroded byrust. The channels – datingrespectively to the BritishMandate and the OttomanEmpire – need to be changed.The entire floor should be redone and thiswould allow for a thorough assessment ofthe entire site.

In 2017, the Holy See had indicated theallocation of an important sum for thissecond phase of the project. On May 6,Patriarch Theophilos mentioned the fact thatKing Abdallah II of Jordan intends todevolve part of the amount received with

the Templeton Award to the Holy Sepulchreof Jerusalem.

“The second phase of restoration aims toconclude and crown the efforts of theChurches over the years in the restoration ofthe basilica, thus allowing it to regain itssplendor”, emphasized Patriarch Theophilos,commenting on the ecumenical initiative tothe press.

New work on the Holy Sepulchrereceives major financial contribution

from the King of Jordan

The Aedicule that custodies Christ’s empty Sepulchre is located inthe heart of the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre, which is currentlybeing restructured.

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Clear and strong words are containedin the press release issued by theAssembly of Catholic Ordinaries of

the Holy Land on May 20, dictated by thepolitical situation that shows no sign offinding solutions in the Land so dear to us.

“Righteousness and Peace will embraceeach other”: this is the title of thecommuniqué, taken from Psalm 85, a psalmthat sounds like a long-awaitedannouncement that turns our eyes upwardtowards the One who can really make“righteousness… look down from heaven”(Ps 85:11).

“Reflecting on the past few decades,during which we were promised peace andreconciliation but received more hatred andoppression, corruption and demagoguery, itis time for the Churches and spiritualleaders to point to another way, to insist thatall, Israelis and Palestinians, are brothersand sisters in humanity. The Churches insistthat we can love one another and livetogether in mutual respect and equality,

equal in rights and duties, in this sameland,” the Catholic Ordinaries affirm,certainly echoing the recent documentsigned by Pope Francis and the Great Imamof Al-Azhar on the Human Brotherhood.

The communiqué continues with a lucidpolitical analysis and a proposal opens todiscussion.

“The proposal for a two-state solution hasgone nowhere and is repeated to no avail. Infact, all talk of political solution seemsempty rhetoric in the present situation.

Therefore, we promote a vision accordingto which everyone in this Holy Land has fullequality, the equality befitting all men andwomen created equal in God’s own imageand likeness. We believe that equality,whatever political solutions might beadopted, is a fundamental condition for ajust and lasting peace.

We have lived together in this land in thepast, why should we not live together in thefuture too?”

E.D.

An invitation to equalityfrom the Assembly of CatholicOrdinaries of the Holy Land

Living a transformativeexperience as a young Christian

“‘God loves you’, ‘God died foryou’, ‘You are the daughter ofGod’ are all expressions I

heard and learned when I was a child, but Inever understood their deep meaning.Getting used to these phrases made me stopthinking of the message behind them.Although I grew up in faith, there wereplenty of things I did not understand.

For example, if God frees us, then whereis He to free us from the occupation? Orhow does He heal all the wounds? Or even, Iused to look around searching for Himbecause they said He is always with us.

The moment I joined the ministry, YJHP, Ibecame more aware of myself and the worldaround me. I stopped listening about Godand started living for Him; I started applying

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faith in my daily life; I stopped reading theBible just to know stories that occurred twothousand years ago and started reading it toknow what God has to say to me today.YJHP has introduced me to the mostimportant person in my life andaccompanied me on this journey.”

This is a short testimony by a youngwoman who joined the Christian YouthMinistry in Palestine. JEC (JeunesseEtudiante Chrétienne) Palestine serves about3000 Christian children and youth (from 7 to35 years old) belonging to different Catholicparishes, schools and churches in fivePalestinian governorates and divided into 58active Christian youth groups. Differentactivities are offered to strengthen faith andvalues of youth and children so that theycan live a transformative experience andencourage the youth’s active involvementwithin community based services, social,political, and economic sectors in thePalestinian society.

In 2019, the Order of the Holy Sepulchreis supporting four small projects to enableJEC Palestine and JEC Jordan to go oncarrying their activities and reaching out tolocal youth. Funds in Jordan will be usedmostly to hold four training sessions foryouth leaders with workshops conducted byspecialists in different topics and to organizeseven moments of socialization, fests or

celebrations. JEC Palestine as well is receiving a grant

to allow Palestinian and Israeli youth toorganize camps and retreats, run regularactivities as well as participate ininternational meetings, workshops, conducttraining, and awareness sessions for leaders.An additional help was asked to buy a 7-seatvehicle with an Israeli Licensed registrationplate and a big cabin to serve the generalinterest of the youth ministry. The car willhelp in providing pastoral, animation andvocational support for the youth acrossPalestine and Israel. The current vehicle issmall and has a Palestinian registrationLicense which does not allow it to crossIsraeli checkpoints and drive in theterritories under Israeli governance and thathinders the youth to attend activitiesconducted in the Galilee areas.

The last project is a contribution foryoung people who attended the World YouthDay in Panama. However, most expenseswere covered directly by the 45 youth fromdifferent parts of Palestine, Jordan and Israelwho attended the meeting.

Elena Dini

The Order of the Holy Sepulchre supports somesmall projects that allow the Christian StudentYouth (JEC) in Palestine, Israel and Jordan tocarry out activities to serve the youth of the HolyLand.

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As the flames engulfed thecathedral of Notre-Dame, youwent back in to recover the

Holy Relics alongside the firefightersof Paris. What does the Crown ofThorns mean to you, as a member ofthe Order?We sometimes mock Saint Thomas who

wanted to touch Christ’s wounds left by thenails, but in certain circumstances, we needtangible signs of faith.

All the relics related to the Passion of theLord Jesus Christ have a fundamentalimportance for Christians like us. We arewell known to be the only ones to veneratean empty Sepulchre ... Fortunately empty,because if Jesus had not risen from the dead– as St. Paul reminds us – our faith wouldbe in vain.

This intimate resonance supports theChristian’s faith. After that, we also enterinto the Great History, which goes beyondthe hunt for relics, covering the entiremedieval period. The King Saint Louisredeemed the precious relics and had the

most beautiful Parisian monuments erectedin their honour.

This initial momentum is still to be foundin our Order in our Order. The ChivalricOrders represent a prophetic vision of thepopes. I would say a sort of ante litteramSchengen Agreement, since the need forfree movement of goods and people waspart of the papal vision. When the Seljuksbegan to conquer the Holy Land,obstructing these movements of people andgoods, they began to preach the firstCrusade ... and then all the others, in orderto restore that freedom. This gave rise to theaforementioned Orders, in particular theOrder of the Canons of the Holy Sepulchre.I have been to the Holy Land once, I wouldlike to return, God willing: I can say thatsuch a journey transforms the way in whichone lives one’s faith. The fact of havingvisited the Holy Land allows us – in ourmeditations and readings of the Bible – to“imagine”, to incarnate, since Salvationpasses through the Incarnation of God,which is decisive.

The Life of the Lieutenancies

Jean-Marc Fournier, theecclesiastical Knight of the Order

who became the hero of Notre DameFather Jean-Marc Fournier entered the burning Notre-Dame

Cathedral, together with a team of firefighters, to save the Crownof Thorns and the Holy Sacrament, sparking worldwide

admiration. In this interview released one month after the NotreDame fire, the chaplain to the firefighters of Paris and Knight ofthe Order of the Holy Sepulchre evokes the exceptional meaning

that the Relics of the Passion have for him and speaks of therole of the priest within the Order.

Interview by Solène Tadié

You have been inundated with mediarequests after the Notre Dame fire.How do you manage this suddenfame?Fortunately, I live in quite a protected and

removed context, which is part of themilitary life and its statutes protect us. Weare bound to confidentiality; therefore, wecan speak very little. The communicationstaff manage everything, so everything is“contextualized”. After the fire, we receivedrequests from all over the globe. Our maximwith the firefighters is “Save or perish”,which clearly highlights our commitment.

We also have another motto: “Selflessness,competence and discretion”. Sometimes wealso add the word humility. We always keepit in mind: when we are hesitant about howwe should behave, the fact of being rootedin these three words helps us to facedifficult times like this more serenely.

You pointed out in a recent articlethat your membership within theOrder of the Holy Sepulchrerepresents a service for souls and nota race for medals. What is the role ofthe priest in the Order in youropinion?The manner in which the French

Lieutenancy is organized means that inevery Delegation it is important to supportthe Latin Patriarchate, but also to work forone’s own personal sanctification. In theorder of grace, we must first be grace filled –like the Holy Virgin – and then have aneffective benefit on our neighbours aroundus. The Knight or Dame – to prove himselfor herself even more efficient in helpingothers – must work on his or her ownsanctification. In France, we have monthlymeetings during which a short time isalways devoted to the small questions to bediscussed and sharing. Afterwards, work iscarried out on the theme of the year, withthe documents prepared by the Grand Prior.The priest has the task of accompanying thisreading by remaining in the recto dictio, in a

Catholic vision of things, inviting to prayerand works of piety ... The presence of thepriest encourages a virtuous circle thatdraws everyone upwards. Modestly, this iswhat we try to do, especially in theDelegation of Saint-Rémy, Reims andChalons, where I am Prior.

How does this mission resonate withyour mission as a military chaplain?The two missions are concomitant: in

fact, I entered the Order because I was amilitary chaplain. A friend of mine waschancellor and member of the Order in theDelegation of Chalons, therefore of Reims.We got to know each other on militarymission to Africa and we became friends. Heproposed that I join the Order; so, afterfinding out more, I started attending theirmeetings. Members of the Order have thesame desire to rediscover free commitmentand self-denial, to contribute to thehappiness of others. After two years, Idecided to become a full member at theinvitation of the head of the Delegation atthe time.

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Father Jean-Marc Fournier, Knight of the HolySepulchre, witnessed the Order’s mission to thewhole world by saving the relics of the crown ofthorns during the fire that devastated theCathedral of Notre Dame in Paris.

Marking the Holy Land pilgrimageof an important Delegation fromthe Lieutenancy for Southern

Tyrrhenian Italy, a stained glass windowdepicting the Virgin of the Rosary ofPompeii together with Blessed BartoloLongo was unveiled in the basilica of theAnnunciation in Nazareth. The ceremony,presided over by Archbishop TommasoCaputo of Pompeii, took place on June 4, inthe presence of Lieutenant GiovanniBattista Rossi and his team. Commissioned

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A stained glass windowof Pompeii in Nazareth

Msgr. Tommaso Caputo, Archbishop of Pompeii, in Nazareth with some members of the Lieutenancy forSouthern Tyrrhenian Italy in which he himself is an active member. They brought together a stained glasswindow at the Basilica of the Annunciation representing the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary of Pompeii andthe blessed Bartolo Longo.

by the Lieutenancy for Southern TyrrhenianItaly, the work was designed by DonBattista Marello, priest and artist, andcreated in the workshop “Vetrate ArtisticheFiorentine”. Among all the representationsof the Virgin in the basilica of Nazareth, theMarian shrine of Pompeii is now alsopresent together with its founder, the onlybeatified lay person of the Order of theHoly Sepulchre and model of Christian lifefor all the members of our pontificalinstitution.

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In 2016 the Austrian Lieutenancy waslooking for new ways to stimulate thespiritual life of our community. The aim

was to create a “spiritual place”, in whichmembers could meet regularly to share thecharisma of the Order in a collective prayer.

Every Friday at 3 pm, the hour of death ofOur Lord, we want to strengthen ourspiritual roots by praying together, each inhis or her own place. We begin with payingtribute to the Saint or the feast of the day.We pray the psalm of the Mid-afternoonprayer or Evening prayer and thus connectto the Church in the whole world. A shortreflection makes us stop. The followingremembrance in prayer is dedicated to aspecial intention. We finish the “commontime of prayer” with the prayer of our Order.Those who wish can also read God’s Wordin the readings of the day (the readings andthe Gospel of that very day).

The varying texts (reflection andremembrance in prayer) are provided by thelocal Delegations in turn,so that the ”CommonTime of Prayer“ indeedgrows into a spiritualcommon act of theLieutenancy.

As a reminder allmembers receive an emailFriday morning, whichinvites them to the

“Collective Time of Prayer”. In order tomake the “Collective Time of Prayer” moreeasily available, a web app was created thatthe members can install on theirsmartphones. The “Collective Time ofPrayer” can also be obtained via the websiteof the Lieutenancy www.oessh.at.

The most important goal was reached in2017: the members of the Order shouldactively take part in building this spiritualhouse and this happens because each monthit is the task of a different Delegation of theLieutenancy to produce the reflection andprayer intention of the “Collective Time ofPrayer”. A team of editors receive theoriginal texts for the reflection and prayerintention from the assigned Delegation andtakes care about the other regular text parts(the words of the Script, psalms and theprayer of the None and the Vespers as basis)and the feasts of Saints and upload that onthe app so that everyone can easily find thatfor the Friday prayer.

The initiators hope thatthe “Collective Time ofPrayer” will be thebeginning of a shared“spiritual house” withmany rooms.

Ursula-Maria FürstAdviser

Council of the AustrianLieutenancy

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An App gathering membersin prayer

Knights and Dames of the Holy Sepulchre have a deep love forthe Holy Land that pushes them to actively support Christians inthat land, so they may secure a livelihood, to pray for them andalso to offer hope for a life of peace. There are many ways to joinin prayer with this particular intention and the Lieutenancy forAustria under the leadership of Andreas Leiner, Lieutenant, has

come up with one way to help members gather in prayernotwithstanding physical distances...

www.oessh.at

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Archbishop Forte, why a book onJerusalem, what novelty does itpresent?

This book is an act of love for the Holy Citypar excellence; for the people who live there; forthe Lord Jesus who was crucified and died there,who rose again and ascended into heaven fromthere; for the Spirit who descended there atPentecost and for the Church which, flooded byHis light, started from there to bring the goodnews to the whole world. Jerusalem is beautifuland regal, all golden (Yerushalayim shelzahav),always new with its clear and very pure sky andits golden light, crossroads of passions, destinies,hopes ... Therefore it is always important to talkabout Jerusalem ...

What image of God can be discovered bygoing to Jerusalem today?Jerusalem is unique, because there is no other

place throughout the world where pain and love,suffering and waiting mingle as they do here, inthe city of the patriarchs and prophets, ofCalvary and Anàstasis, of the cross andresurrection. “Navel of the world”, Jerusalemreflects the mystery of God the eternal lovewhich has always brought with it the pain ofman and in the Son who came among us heredeems it. A rabbinic saying states: “When Godcreated the world of ten measures of beauty, Hegave nine of them to Jerusalem and one to therest of the world. Of ten measures of wisdom,He gave nine of them to Jerusalem and one tothe rest of the world. Of ten measures of pain,He gave nine of them to Jerusalem and one tothe rest of the world”. An intersection ofdestinies, a crossroads of languages, faiths andcultures, Jerusalem is, therefore, the figure ofthe world, the place where we are all born andwhere we will all be reborn: “Indeed, of Zion it

will be said, “This one and that one were born inher, and the Most High himself will establishher.” The Lord will write in the register of thepeoples: “This one was born in Zion.” As theymake music they will sing, “All my fountainsare in you.” (Psalm 87:5-7)”.

How do you judge the extraordinaryphenomenon of pilgrimages to Jerusalem,where all the hotels have been fullybooked for two or three years? Is it theexpression of a spiritual thirst in asecularized world at most, of a need tofind Christ, the source, beyondecclesiastical dogmas?We all carry in our hearts the nostalgia of the

Totally Other, of a Beauty that saves from thepain of the world. And the future city to whichwe yearn cannot shine of another light than thatof Jerusalem, as the Apocalypse makes usunderstand: “Then I saw ‘a new heaven and anew earth,’ for the first heaven and the firstearth had passed away, and there was no longerany sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem,coming down out of heaven from God, preparedas a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.”(Revelation 21:1-2). This future city of peace willnot be the fruit of our labour: it will come fromabove, as a gift to be invoked and opened up to.And it is in Jerusalem, for its history and itsmillennial destiny, that the most effective prayerfor peace rises to heaven, an appeal to the divineheart and to the conscience of all, withoutexception. Whoever goes to Jerusalem must gothere as a pilgrim of obedience to God andacceptance for all, because the God of theCovenant has always asked Israel to respect thestranger who lived in her womb.

Interview by François Vayne

Culture

Jerusalem reflects the mystery of GodMsgr. Bruno Forte, Archbishop of Chieti-Vasto and Prior of the Abruzzo

and Molise Section of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre, recentlypublished an important book entitled “Jerusalem - City of Peace,

Crossroads of Conflict” for the Holy Land editions.