On Ash Wednesday, at one with the universal Church, Jerusalem and the Holy Land have entered the Lenten season.
Since the events of the Passion have taken place precisely here, in the Holy City, the celebrations of Lent in Jerusalem are of particular solemnity, especially the liturgies of the Holy Sepulchre.
Solemn entries, processions, night service and Sunday Mass punctuate the weekend of the Franciscans of the city every week.
At the end of this article, you will find the Lenten program in Jerusalem.
Let us follow now the account of this first Sunday of Lent in the Holy City.
February 21st, the first Saturday of Lent, the Franciscans accompanied Bishop William Shomali, Auxiliary Bishop of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, for a solemn entry into the Holy Sepulcher between two piles of freshly fallen snow. Escorted by the well known qawas, he was welcomed at the Stone of Anointing by the President (1) of the Franciscan convent, Fra Noel Muscat OFM, to thechant of the Te Deum. Accompanied by numerous pilgrims, Bishop Shomali participated in the daily solemn procession.
At 23:30, the Franciscans are back to the Holy Sepulchertoattend the Office of Readings.Each day the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchercelebrates at that time the Office of Readings. During Lent however, the celebration's form varies. Indeed, in that celebration around the empty tomb, at the placeof His death and resurrection, it is the latter that prevails.
Despite the late hour and coolness of winter, the Chapel of the Apparition of the Virgin, which is also that of the Blessed Sacrament, was full. The Office of Readings is concluded with an illuminated candlelight procession around the Aedicule. The guardian of St. Savior Convent, Fra Stéphane Milovitch OFM, representative of the Custos in his absence, went into the tomb. Moments later, recalling the stillness of the women preceding the Resurrection, he came out holding the Gospel upraised, the Word of God that has been entrusted to us.
The Mass of the first Sunday of Lent was celebrated by Bishop Shomali at the altar of Mary Magdalene. Preceded by the Lauds, it was celebrated in the presence of the Bishop in Latin, Italian, and Arabic. The seminarians of the Latin Patriarchate were also present. Fra Feras Hejazin OFM, pastor of St. Saviour Parish delivered his homily from the pulpit. It emphasized God's faithfulness to his promise to humanity, whether in Genesis "Behold, I establish my covenant with you, with all your descendants" (Gen 9.9), or at the time of the Baptism of Jesus, when God made known that He sent His son "and a voice came from heaven,'You are my beloved Son; with you my favor rests. ' "(Mk 1:11). Fra Ferass tressed the fact that one must listen to His Word. Tempted by Satan for forty days in the wilderness, Jesus stood strong. He invites us not to succumb to our weaknesses in this time of Lent, and always take heed of the Good News.
The program of the Lenten celebrations in Jerusalem is progressive and seeks to deepen our awareness of the coming paschal mystery. Thoseforty days of Lent grant the time for every individual to internalize the Lord's Passion and Resurrection, through which our daily lives can evolve.
1. President: this is the name of the superior of the Holy Sepulcher; the title Guardian is usually given to superior of the Franciscan fraternities. In this case, the Guardian of the Holy Sepulcher is the Custos himself.
Hélène Morlet
The Holy Sepulcher
Solemn entries, Saturday afternoon
2nd Saturday of Lent (February 28) 13.30 entrance procession around 15.00
3rd Saturday of Lent (March 7) 14.00 entrance followed by procession
4th Saturday of Lent (March 14) no entry vespers at 17.00
5th Saturday of Lent (March 21) no entry vespers at 17.00
Lenten vigils in the night from Saturday-Sunday
At 23.40 every Saturday in Lent.
Mass at the altar of Mary Magdalene on Sunday morning (in the presence of the Patriarch)
All Lenten Sundays at 8.30
----------------------------------------
Lenten pilgrimages
Wednesday, March 4 16.00 Dominus Flevit
Wednesday, March 11 16.00 Gethsemane
Wednesday, March 18 17.00 Flagellation
Saturday, March 21 07.30 Bethany
Monday, March 23 17.00 Chapel of the Condemnation
Friday, March 27 09.00 Our Lady of Sorrows altar
Saturday, March 28 09.00 Bethpage
-----------------------------------------------
Lectiodivina at the Grotto of Gethsemane (in Italian only)
Meditation on theSunday Scriptures
Saturday, February 21, and 28; 7, 14 and 21 March at 15.30
Bring your Bible with you
For further inquiries: romitaggio@custodia.org Tel. 02-6266430
----------------------------------------------
Penitential celebration in Saint-Savior (open to all)
Monday, March 30 at 17.30
at the Church of Saint-Saviour
Since the events of the Passion have taken place precisely here, in the Holy City, the celebrations of Lent in Jerusalem are of particular solemnity, especially the liturgies of the Holy Sepulchre.
Solemn entries, processions, night service and Sunday Mass punctuate the weekend of the Franciscans of the city every week.
At the end of this article, you will find the Lenten program in Jerusalem.
Let us follow now the account of this first Sunday of Lent in the Holy City.
February 21st, the first Saturday of Lent, the Franciscans accompanied Bishop William Shomali, Auxiliary Bishop of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, for a solemn entry into the Holy Sepulcher between two piles of freshly fallen snow. Escorted by the well known qawas, he was welcomed at the Stone of Anointing by the President (1) of the Franciscan convent, Fra Noel Muscat OFM, to thechant of the Te Deum. Accompanied by numerous pilgrims, Bishop Shomali participated in the daily solemn procession.
At 23:30, the Franciscans are back to the Holy Sepulchertoattend the Office of Readings.Each day the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchercelebrates at that time the Office of Readings. During Lent however, the celebration's form varies. Indeed, in that celebration around the empty tomb, at the placeof His death and resurrection, it is the latter that prevails.
Despite the late hour and coolness of winter, the Chapel of the Apparition of the Virgin, which is also that of the Blessed Sacrament, was full. The Office of Readings is concluded with an illuminated candlelight procession around the Aedicule. The guardian of St. Savior Convent, Fra Stéphane Milovitch OFM, representative of the Custos in his absence, went into the tomb. Moments later, recalling the stillness of the women preceding the Resurrection, he came out holding the Gospel upraised, the Word of God that has been entrusted to us.
The Mass of the first Sunday of Lent was celebrated by Bishop Shomali at the altar of Mary Magdalene. Preceded by the Lauds, it was celebrated in the presence of the Bishop in Latin, Italian, and Arabic. The seminarians of the Latin Patriarchate were also present. Fra Feras Hejazin OFM, pastor of St. Saviour Parish delivered his homily from the pulpit. It emphasized God's faithfulness to his promise to humanity, whether in Genesis "Behold, I establish my covenant with you, with all your descendants" (Gen 9.9), or at the time of the Baptism of Jesus, when God made known that He sent His son "and a voice came from heaven,'You are my beloved Son; with you my favor rests. ' "(Mk 1:11). Fra Ferass tressed the fact that one must listen to His Word. Tempted by Satan for forty days in the wilderness, Jesus stood strong. He invites us not to succumb to our weaknesses in this time of Lent, and always take heed of the Good News.
The program of the Lenten celebrations in Jerusalem is progressive and seeks to deepen our awareness of the coming paschal mystery. Thoseforty days of Lent grant the time for every individual to internalize the Lord's Passion and Resurrection, through which our daily lives can evolve.
1. President: this is the name of the superior of the Holy Sepulcher; the title Guardian is usually given to superior of the Franciscan fraternities. In this case, the Guardian of the Holy Sepulcher is the Custos himself.
Hélène Morlet
The Holy Sepulcher
Solemn entries, Saturday afternoon
2nd Saturday of Lent (February 28) 13.30 entrance procession around 15.00
3rd Saturday of Lent (March 7) 14.00 entrance followed by procession
4th Saturday of Lent (March 14) no entry vespers at 17.00
5th Saturday of Lent (March 21) no entry vespers at 17.00
Lenten vigils in the night from Saturday-Sunday
At 23.40 every Saturday in Lent.
Mass at the altar of Mary Magdalene on Sunday morning (in the presence of the Patriarch)
All Lenten Sundays at 8.30
----------------------------------------
Lenten pilgrimages
Wednesday, March 4 16.00 Dominus Flevit
Wednesday, March 11 16.00 Gethsemane
Wednesday, March 18 17.00 Flagellation
Saturday, March 21 07.30 Bethany
Monday, March 23 17.00 Chapel of the Condemnation
Friday, March 27 09.00 Our Lady of Sorrows altar
Saturday, March 28 09.00 Bethpage
-----------------------------------------------
Lectiodivina at the Grotto of Gethsemane (in Italian only)
Meditation on theSunday Scriptures
Saturday, February 21, and 28; 7, 14 and 21 March at 15.30
Bring your Bible with you
For further inquiries: romitaggio@custodia.org Tel. 02-6266430
----------------------------------------------
Penitential celebration in Saint-Savior (open to all)
Monday, March 30 at 17.30
at the Church of Saint-Saviour