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Letter from Jerusalem[2008-06-22][Engleză]"I have run my race"The last Mass in Jerusalem of the head of the Latin-rite Catholic Church in the Holy Land, His Beatitude Michel Sabbah, for 20 years the voice of the Church in Israel By Robert Moynihan JERUSALEM, Saturday, June 21, 2008 -- Stifling heat and glorious song, and prayers in Arabic and Latin, marked an historic "Mass of transition" here today in the land where Jesus lived. In sweltering 100-degree heat, the Patriarch of the Latin Church in the Holy Land, Michel Sabbah, today celebrated his last Mass as Patriarch after 20 years as the leader and "voice" of the Catholic Church here. The Vatican announced officially in Rome at noon today that the successor to Sabbah as Patriarch would be Monsignor Fouad Twal, 67, a Palestinian born in Jordan who is a veteran of the Vatican diplomatic corps (at one oclock in Israel, which is one hour before Rome in time, the church bells tolled to announce the decision). Sabbah reached the ordinary age of resignation for a bishop on March 19, when he turned 75, and submitted his resignation at that time. The Vatican quickly accepted. Twal was at Sabbahs side throughout the Mass today, and again at a reception after the Mass in the Notre Dame Center just outside the walls of the Old City. King David founded Jerusalem in 1004 B.C. to be the capital of Israel. The historic Mass was celebrated in an overflowing "Church of the Agony," located amid ancient olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane ("Gethsemane" means "olive press"). The church is also known as the "Basilica of All Nations." The churchs altar is next to the stone traditionally believed to be where Jesus sweated tears of blood as he prayed on the night of his arrest that "not my will, by Thy will be done," and where today dozens knelt and prayed, their hands touching the exposed stone, after the Mass was over. And so one era for the Church in the Holy Land ended today, the first day of summer, and another began. Patriarch Sabbah's celebrates his last Mass as Patriarch of Jerusalem in the Basilica of the Agony. Enshrine stone is in front of the alter. This stone is believed to be where Jesus prayed on the night of his arrest. (Matt 26:36) The ceremony was joyful, serene, peaceful -- but stiflingly hot. Many of the monsignors present, in their heavy white robes, and many of the faithful in attendance -- dozens of whom had to stand throughout the 2-hour liturgy -- used the program for the ceremony to fan their faces, and wiped rivulets of sweat from their brows and necks. Cardinal John Foley, Grand Master of the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher, dressed in his cardinatial red, was present from Rome, and was given a special seat near the altar. He was accompanied by an international delegation of Knight and Dames. The Knights of the Holy Sepulcher do very important work supporting the Catholic churches, schools and hospitals in the Holy Land. Also present was Franciscan Father Pierbattista Pizzabella, the Custodian of the Holy Land, representatives from many Orthodox and Protestant churches, and members of Patriarch Sabbahs family. At the moment of consecration, the church bells rang out over the garden and the city. During the ceremony, the faithful, including many young people, joined their voices to those of the choir, making the basilica echo with their praise of God. The entire ceremony took place in a church which dates originally from 380 A.D., and which was rebuilt in 1150 and again in 1924. There are two rows of five great yellow-orange marble columns which rise along the nave. In the apse at the front of the church is a powerful mosaic depicting the agony of Christ in the Garden, with the three disciples, Peter, James and John, off to one side, sleeping under an olive tree. The sky in the background is a deep blue, which casts its glow over the entire church. The mosaic centers on the halo around Christs head. He leans against a stone, praying that "this cup" might pass from him. It is divinity, then, and the holiness which is the essential quality of divinity, which is at the center of this mosaic, and so at the center of the artistic design of this church. Under the apse mosaic are written these words: "Apparuit autem illi angelus de coelo, confortans eum. Et factus in agonia prolixus orabat. Et factus est sudor eius sicut guttae sanguinis decurrentes in terram." (Luke 22:43-44) ("And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, comforting him. And in great agony he prayed for a long time. And it happened that his sweat was like drops of blood running down to the ground.") The situation in Israel for the Church today is complex. Jerusalem is peaceful. As I write, I am sitting in a café on a narrow street in the Old City, at 11 at night, and people are sitting quietly at tables nearby, talking, and strolling in the streets. But the situation of the Catholic and Christian community here, in the land where Jesus walked, is difficult. The Christians are only about 2% of the countrys population, and many feel squeezed in between the much larger Jewish and Muslim populations. During his farewell homily, Sabbah reflected at length on the mystery of the Passion. He also called, as so often in the past, for justice and peace, in security, for the Israelis and Palestinians in the Holy Land. He invited the Christians in the Holy Land to find their joy in the gift of self, like Jesus at Gethsemane, and in the joy of the Resurrection. The new Patriarch, Twal, addressed a greeting to those present at the end of the Mass, in Arabic and in French, praising his predecessor for his work, and inviting everyone to join him tomorrow, for his solemn installation, in the Basilica of the Resurrection, "by the empty tomb, which gives to us the reason for our joy: Christ is Risen, he is Risen indeed!" Note: The following interview with the new Patriarch of Jerusalem was conducted by the Custody of the Holy Land, which is an official Church organization, entrusted by the Holy See with caring for the interests of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land, and it is posted on their web site. --The Editor Sursa: www.InsideTheVatican.com Contor Accesări: 873, Ultimul acces: 2026-08-03 13:53:44
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