Woven palm leaves in festive floral arrangements ... They can be seen everywhere in the streets of the Christian Quarter of the Old City on this Palm Sunday morning. For local Christians are preparing to celebrate, with faith and devotion, the most important week of the year.  If the entire Church celebrates this week, local Christians commemorate events which took place here in their own city.  A city which is welcoming millions of pilgrims who will join their brothers and sisters here to celebrate Easter.Many of them attended the first of sevaral celebrations of Holy Week at the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcre, in which they recalled Our Saviour’s Passion, but also to commemorate his triumphal entry into Jerusalem.  This solemn celebration was presided over by the Latin Patriarch, Fouad Twal, surrounded by Franciscan friars, other priests, and so many of the Faithful: local Christians and pilgrims.The litugy began before the Tomb of Christ, and here palms and olive branches were placed before being blessed.  Branches which, following a long prayer, were distributed by the Patriartch to his concelebrants, friars, other clerics and to all the Faithful, to the music of antiphons and psalms celebrating the victory of Christ and the joy of being here in Jerusalem where the Divine Presence resides.And finally, the time for the procession arrives: the Edicule of the Holy Sepulchure is encircled three times in a celebration of Hosanna, as branches are waved in joy by celebrants and faitful alike.  Spiritually and emotionally, this is an intense moment which has deep theological significance, and is celebrated around the Anastasis in anticipation of the final triumph of Christ: his Resurrection.Following the third encirclement, the Patrirach spends long moments in prayer in front of the Edicule.Mass is then celebrated before that altar of Mary Magdelene, and three friars proclaim the Passion according to St Matthew. Simultaneously other liturgies are celebrated by brother Orthodox Christians, for this year Easter is kept by Catholic and Orthodox Christians on the same date, and so this is Palm Sunday for everyone.The Latin liturgy is a lengthy one: about three hours, and takes place in concert with the other liturgies, yet the silence in the hearts of the participants permits a meditation on the marvellous fact that it was here where it happened, so that those present are able to live this devotion with much intensity. Palm Sunday at Holy Sepulchre ... images of this prayerful assembly are a prelude to what will take place in Jerusalem during the next few days: Franciscans and pilgrims will move from one Holy Place to the other, to pray and celebrate where the Passion, Death and Resurrection took place.  In this way a great week begins here in Jerusalem, a week which will culminate in seven days with even greater festivity and joy ! 

Woven palm leaves in festive floral arrangements ... They can be seen everywhere in the streets of the Christian Quarter of the Old City on this Palm Sunday morning. For local Christians are preparing...leggi tutto