“…and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel.” (Luke 1:80). On Tuesday, June 23, first vespers for the feast of St. John the Baptist were celebrated, as per tradition, at the sanctuary of St. John of the Desert, outside of Ain Karem. This monastery on the side of a hill, surrounded by vegetation, inside of which a spring can be found, offers a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere. With a scent of jasmine and holidays, at dusk, the Franciscans met there, as they do every year. Since student exam season had come to an end, everyone had a happy and relieved smile on their faces in anticipation for summer vacation.
First Vespers were celebrated in the chapel and they were presided over by Custodial Vicar Br. Dobromir Jasztal. They were followed by a procession outside around the fountain and the the pond, accompanied by the sound of a song to the glory of God. Everyone then gatheredat St. John the Baptist’s grotto.This is where, in retreating from the world, the saint was able to become aware of the mission that God had entrusted to him. For the ten Franciscans who are preparing for their ordination on June 29, this time of retreat hada special significance.
For Br. Guylain, the Franciscan from Quebec who has been in the Holy Land for a few months, this feastheld special importance, “June 24 is Quebec’s national holiday, andSt. John the Baptist is its patron saint. But in addition, this year is the 400th anniversary of the first mass that was celebrated in this region by the first Franciscans who had arrived there. Experiencing this day here in a solemn way, with all of my brothers, is truly enrichingcompared to other years. Each one of us can find reasons to celebrate within ourselves.” The celebration ended with a cheerful dinner on the monastery’s terrace that faces the valley.
The next day, on June 24, at the Franciscan sanctuary of Saint John “in montana” in Ain Karem, the feast of St. John the Baptist’s birth was celebrated. After the parish mass in the morning, the solemn mass was attended by parishioners from Ain Karem and Jerusalem, and by pilgrims and relatives of the Franciscans in a packed church. The vice consul of Spain was also present, because of the traditional ties that link this sanctuary to Spain. In his homily, the Custos, Fr. Pierbattista Pizzaballa, highlighted John the Baptist’s ability to remain humble, to take the second place in order to let God act: an exemplary attitude that should inspire all of us. The procession to the grotto of John the Baptist’s birth concluded the celebration.
A traditional dinner following the mass was held this year in one of the sanctuary’s new rooms. Blessed by the Custos, it is intended to welcome groups of pilgrims for meetings or meals. He thanked the bursar of the Custody, which funded the project, as well as Br. Severino Lubecki, OFM,the monastery’s guardian and the leader of the project, in addition to the Custody’s technical department. Ettore Soranzo, the head of thisdepartment, said: “The work lasted for about one year and twenty workers were involved in this project. They were mainly residents of the West Bank, and most of them were Christians, who were able to feed their families this way.”
Meanwhile, the pilgrims and all of the guests were able to enjoy a quality meal worthy of the Franciscan tradition of hospitality.
First Vespers were celebrated in the chapel and they were presided over by Custodial Vicar Br. Dobromir Jasztal. They were followed by a procession outside around the fountain and the the pond, accompanied by the sound of a song to the glory of God. Everyone then gatheredat St. John the Baptist’s grotto.This is where, in retreating from the world, the saint was able to become aware of the mission that God had entrusted to him. For the ten Franciscans who are preparing for their ordination on June 29, this time of retreat hada special significance.
For Br. Guylain, the Franciscan from Quebec who has been in the Holy Land for a few months, this feastheld special importance, “June 24 is Quebec’s national holiday, andSt. John the Baptist is its patron saint. But in addition, this year is the 400th anniversary of the first mass that was celebrated in this region by the first Franciscans who had arrived there. Experiencing this day here in a solemn way, with all of my brothers, is truly enrichingcompared to other years. Each one of us can find reasons to celebrate within ourselves.” The celebration ended with a cheerful dinner on the monastery’s terrace that faces the valley.
The next day, on June 24, at the Franciscan sanctuary of Saint John “in montana” in Ain Karem, the feast of St. John the Baptist’s birth was celebrated. After the parish mass in the morning, the solemn mass was attended by parishioners from Ain Karem and Jerusalem, and by pilgrims and relatives of the Franciscans in a packed church. The vice consul of Spain was also present, because of the traditional ties that link this sanctuary to Spain. In his homily, the Custos, Fr. Pierbattista Pizzaballa, highlighted John the Baptist’s ability to remain humble, to take the second place in order to let God act: an exemplary attitude that should inspire all of us. The procession to the grotto of John the Baptist’s birth concluded the celebration.
A traditional dinner following the mass was held this year in one of the sanctuary’s new rooms. Blessed by the Custos, it is intended to welcome groups of pilgrims for meetings or meals. He thanked the bursar of the Custody, which funded the project, as well as Br. Severino Lubecki, OFM,the monastery’s guardian and the leader of the project, in addition to the Custody’s technical department. Ettore Soranzo, the head of thisdepartment, said: “The work lasted for about one year and twenty workers were involved in this project. They were mainly residents of the West Bank, and most of them were Christians, who were able to feed their families this way.”
Meanwhile, the pilgrims and all of the guests were able to enjoy a quality meal worthy of the Franciscan tradition of hospitality.