Visit to the Custody of the Holy Land concludes

From the 15th to 20th April 2024, the Minister General of the Order of Friars Minor, Br Massimo Fusarelli, and the Vicar General, Br Ignacio Ceja Jiménez, visited the Custody of the Holy Land. A visit that had been planned for some time and that was supposed to involve the entire General Definitory, but the circumstances (the war in Gaza and the risk of an expansion of the conflict throughout the Middle East region) did not allow it. This, however, did not prevent the presence of the Minister and the Vicar of the Order in the Holy Places: "Many advised us not to come because of the great danger. But considering that the friars, the Christians, who live here in danger every day, I thought that for a few days I could be there too. I came precisely in this spirit of closeness and listening," said Br. Massimo in an interview with the Custody's website. 

After the first days in Galilee, Br Massimo and Br Ignacio continued their visit to Judea: in Bethlehem, accompanied by the Custos of the Holy Land, Br Francesco Patton, the Vicar Br Ibrahim Faltas, the Visitor General, Br Alojzy Warot, and the Assistant Visitor, Br Marcello Ghirlando, they went to the Children's House, which for 17 years has welcomed Christian children (currently 26) from families in difficulty. The group then paused at the Shepherds' Field, where they remember the announcement of the birth of Jesus given by the angel to the shepherds of Bethlehem. Amongst other things, it was possible to visit two chapels under construction financed with donations from institutions, associations and faithful from Croatia and Spain. This was followed by a visit to the Terra Sancta School in Bethlehem, the oldest of the Custody's schools, founded in 1598.They were met by the Director, Br George Haddad, the Minister General and the Vicar General were able to learn more about the difficulties that the inhabitants of Bethlehem are experiencing. 

The group then moved to the Michele Piccirillo Centre, which employs disabled children in the creation of handicrafts and artistic artifacts, on sale at the Center itself. Afterwards, everyone participated in the daily procession of the friars to the Grotto of the Nativity, where the friars paused and prayed at the place where Jesus was born. A statue of the Child Jesus was blessed at the place of the manger to be donated to the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of the Child Jesus in Assisi, gathered in Chapter form the 21st April. 

Br Massimo then presided over the Mass celebrated in the Basilica of the Agony, in Gethsemane; During the homily, he recalled how, from the arid earth, flowers can grow: "In trial, the attitude that Jesus indicates is not to resist against feelings of fear and anguish, but vigilance, to stay awake, not to let ourselves be overwhelmed by suffering", encouraging those who live in the Holy Land and are going through a period of obvious difficulties. At the end of the Mass, the exhibition "LuxTenebra" on the Basilica of the Agony was inaugurated, a twin to the one inaugurated on the 16th April 16 on Mt Tabor, which celebrates the centenary of the dedication of the basilica, recently restored. The Minister General was given the honour of "cutting the ribbon". The exhibition will remain open to the public inside the basilica until the end of the year. 

With the contribution of Marinella Bandini of www.custodia.org