Two thousand years ago, and seven weeks after Easter, the disciples were gathered in the Upper Room when the Holy Spirit, promised by Christ, descended on them in the form of firey tongues.  This year, the place traditionally identified with the Last Supper and the descent of the Holy Spirit, is administered, along with the Tomb of  David, by the Israeli Authorities.  Only on Holy Thursday and at Pentecost may the Franciscans, once owners of the site, may express the liturgy at the Cenacle. On Sunday, June 12th, the friars arrived in procession, headed by the Custos, Friar Pierbattista Pizzaballa, for Vespers.Not far away, Masses in various languages had been celebrated throughout the day at the Cenacolino, the small chapel at the adjoining Franciscan friary, while in the morning, at the Benedictine Abbey of Dormition, a solmen Mass was concelebrated, and presided over by His Beatitude Fouad Twal, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem. Here, before pilgrims and local Christians, the descent of the Holy Spirit was called down in particular on two young people who were to receive the sacrament of Confirmation.Yet on this day of Pentecost, it was the Upper Room which drew, more than any other place, the Christians of Jerusalem.  Many of them were waiting in the afternoon, witrh prayers and hymns, to welcome the friars.  From many countries, and praying many languages, they knew the joy of being able to invoke the Holy Spirit in the very place where He descended on the disciples.Insert 1 (in Spanish)We are very happy to be here.  We are a group of 34 people from Ecuador, and we finish our pilgrimage tomorrow.  I believe we will all leave with the Holy Land in our hearts. Insert 2 (in Italian)Coming from the American continent, and specifically from Brazil, it is wonderful to know the reality of finding ourselves in this land that is so important for all of Christendom… I am very happy to have taken part in this celebration, aware that many other Brazilians would love to have been here, but were unable to make the journey.Insert 3 (in Arabic)We thank the Lord for having been able to obtain official permission to travel here from Bethlehem… my family and I have leave to be here for two days, and are happy to have been able to celebrate this moment. Tomorrow we will be able to visit other Holy Places."When the day of Pentecost was drawing to a close, they were united HERE, in this same place ...”The liturgies of the Holy Places are focussed here, in a tradition which links these stones with the memory of events surrounnding our salvation.  Here, at the Cenacle, fifty days after the Resurrection, the Holy Spirit gave the disciples the possibility to announce the ways of God in every language.  Today, in many languages, the Lord’s Prayer arises from the Cenacle  as a sign – the Custos said – of unity in diversity - unity of spirit, loudly and fearlessly proclaimed.

Two thousand years ago, and seven weeks after Easter, the disciples were gathered in the Upper Room when the Holy Spirit, promised by Christ, descended on them in the form of firey tongues.  This...leggi tutto