On 15 July, in the area of the shrine of Mount Tabor, the House of the Carmelite Sisters of the Institute of Our Lady of Carmen was officially opened.
At the service of the shrine
Three Indian religious, guided by the superior Sr. Mercy Karalickal, will perform some services in the Convent and the Shrine, particularly in the sacristy, assisting the friars of the Custody of the Holy Land in welcoming pilgrims and visiting priests. Some religious of this order – founded by the Blessed Maria Teresa Scrilli – are present in the parish of Ramleh, which is in the care of the Franciscans of the Custody.
Change of guard
The convent of the nuns has been obtained from the property which until June 2021 was run by the “Mondo X” community. The Custody did the renovation, thinking of asking a religious community that could help the friars in their service to live there. When the renovation was completed, under the supervision of the Technical Department of Jerusalem, on 16 June the Franciscan community welcomed the Carmelite Sisters. The official entrance took place on the occasion of the feast-day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. In the afternoon of 15 July, after the celebration of the First Solemn Vespers in the Chapel in the Franciscan convent, the friars and the sisters went in a procession with the Most Blessed Sacrament towards the chapel of the nuns, for a moment of prayer and adoration. This was followed by the blessing of the new house.
“Let yourselves be transfigured”
The next day, the Franciscans and the nuns took part in the celebrations on Mount Carmel. On the evening of 16 July, the guardian of the Franciscan community, fra Riccardo Bustos, presided over the Second Vespers, and welcomed the sisters, recalling that “like Peter, James and John, you have been called to this Holy Mountain to let yourselves be transfigured by the living Presence of the Lord, contemplating each day his luminous face in prayer and in humble and silent service, in order to be able to offer it to all those who come in search of the faith in this Holy Place.”
Marinella Bandini - fra Riccardo Bustos
