We have reached the Fourth Sunday of Lent, the Sunday which is traditionally called Laetare from the incipit of the Introit sung in the Mass on this day.
"Laetare, Ierùsalem, et convèntum fàcite ... O be joyful, Jerusalem, and all you who love her, come together. Exalt and rejoice, you who are in sadness: fill yourself with the abundance of your consolation."
The violet of Lent is relieved by white, the sign of the upcoming solemn Feast and joy of Easter. The vestments for this Sunday are rose; rose is used on only one other Sunday in the year, the Third Sunday of Advent called "Gaudete", again after the first word of the Introit taken from the letter of St. Paul to the Philippians and a sign of the imminent coming of the Lord.
The clocks were put forward on Friday in the Holy Land, but at the Holy Sepulchre, solar time is still used and the morning celebration which was at 8.30 a.m., is now celebrated at 9.30 a.m.
This is a Sunday of joy, a Sunday that projects us on to the future Easter of Resurrection, a Sunday which, as the Gospel of John says, opens our eyes to the divine light.
In his long and detailed homily, Father Nerwan Nasser ofm, from Iraq, Superior and parish Vicar of St. James the Apostle in Beit Hanina, dwelled on the explanation of the words in Aramaic of the Gospel.
Presiding today was the Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Fuad Twal, while Mass was celebrated by Father Kraj Jerzy ofm, who holds several posts in the Holy Land including Director of the Christian Information Centre in Jerusalem and Spiritual Assistant to pilgrims.
The night before, Vespers, attended by a great many worshippers, started the Sunday which continued with the Solemn celebration of Matins at 00.40 am followed by the first Mass.
Many pilgrims and resident lay people took part in the liturgies, a sign that today as in the past, the methodical prayer by the friars since the first years of their presence in the Holy Land is alive, thanks to the attentive and constant work by the liturgist friars.
Article and photos by Marco Gavasso
"Laetare, Ierùsalem, et convèntum fàcite ... O be joyful, Jerusalem, and all you who love her, come together. Exalt and rejoice, you who are in sadness: fill yourself with the abundance of your consolation."
The violet of Lent is relieved by white, the sign of the upcoming solemn Feast and joy of Easter. The vestments for this Sunday are rose; rose is used on only one other Sunday in the year, the Third Sunday of Advent called "Gaudete", again after the first word of the Introit taken from the letter of St. Paul to the Philippians and a sign of the imminent coming of the Lord.
The clocks were put forward on Friday in the Holy Land, but at the Holy Sepulchre, solar time is still used and the morning celebration which was at 8.30 a.m., is now celebrated at 9.30 a.m.
This is a Sunday of joy, a Sunday that projects us on to the future Easter of Resurrection, a Sunday which, as the Gospel of John says, opens our eyes to the divine light.
In his long and detailed homily, Father Nerwan Nasser ofm, from Iraq, Superior and parish Vicar of St. James the Apostle in Beit Hanina, dwelled on the explanation of the words in Aramaic of the Gospel.
Presiding today was the Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Fuad Twal, while Mass was celebrated by Father Kraj Jerzy ofm, who holds several posts in the Holy Land including Director of the Christian Information Centre in Jerusalem and Spiritual Assistant to pilgrims.
The night before, Vespers, attended by a great many worshippers, started the Sunday which continued with the Solemn celebration of Matins at 00.40 am followed by the first Mass.
Many pilgrims and resident lay people took part in the liturgies, a sign that today as in the past, the methodical prayer by the friars since the first years of their presence in the Holy Land is alive, thanks to the attentive and constant work by the liturgist friars.
Article and photos by Marco Gavasso