An erudite mixture of status quo obligations, the sweet madness of folklore, true respect for a religious authority recognized by everyone, whatever their denomination or their religion: that is the recipe for 200% Christmas joy in Bethlehem –the Solemn Entry of Mgr Michel Sabbah. This year the sunshine chased away the cold and the cortege left Jerusalem almost on time, but did not stay on schedule for long… Accompanied by the Jerusalem parish community, Mgr Sabbah was greeted at Saint Elijah’s monastery by an imposing delegation of Christians from the towns of Beit Sahour, Beit Jala and Bethlehem. The auto cortege was so long that the first cars had already left the Rachel’s Tomb sector, through which they are allowed to pass only three times per year for Solemn Entries (of which two are reserved to the Custody of the Holy Land – November 25th and January 5th), while the Patriarch’s car was still at Saint Elijah’s. Journalists took advantage of the delay by interviewing him, but they must not have been satisfied, since they interviewed him again at Rachel’s Tomb. This site is an Israeli enclave within Bethlehem. Its construction is not without repercussions for the neighboring population. The cortege got moving again, continuing its way by stages toward Nativity Square. It took two hours for it to go the five kilometers between Saint Elijah’s and the Square where it was awaited. Then it was the crowd, the greetings of local authorities, welcoming the dignitaries of other denominations and finally, after the Entry to the Basilica of Saint Catherine to the sound of the Te Deum, First Vespers was sung. The Solemn Entry marks the beginning of the feast day. And afterwards, everyone waits for only one thing: Christmas night.
MAB
MAB