Jerusalem, 17th March, 2011 (Communicationes).‐ The relics of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus arrived in the Holy Land on Monday, 14th March, in what is becoming a historical visit.
For the first time, the relics of the holy French Carmelite and patron of the missions are visiting the Holy Land after have traveled practically the whole world.
A delegation led by the Papal Nuncio, Monsignor Antonio Franco, and made up of Discalced Carmelite friars and nuns from Haifa, young people from the Carmel School of Haifa, as well as numerous religious from various Orders, ecclesiastics and bishops welcomed the Urn bearing the relics of Saint Therese at the Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv.
Saint Therese enters Jerusalem
However the most notable event, so far, took place yesterday in Jerusalem. Around two thousand people gathered in a festive mood to receive Saint Therese, as she solemnly entered Jerusalem through the Jaffa Gate.
The saint, who herself compared her entrance into Carmel to that of Jesus into Jerusalem, was received with song and dance. She was then taken in procession to the church of the Latin Patriarchate, which she entered on the shoulders of the Discalced Carmelite friars of Haifa. The urn with the relics of the little Therese, remained exposed for veneration by the faithful during Evening Prayer and afterwards.
This was an event longed for with impatience by the Christians of the Holy Land for many years. “It is a great gift for this land, for all the people, whatever religion they may be, since all this was made possible thanks to the help of everyone”, said Fr Flavio Caloi, the Delegate General for Israel.
In his sermon, Archbishop Fouad Twal, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, asked the Patroness of the missions for “the gift of unity amongst us, the Christians, and also for unity with our Jewish and Muslim brothers.”
Multitudinous welcome in Haifa
A multitude of children and youth from the four large Haifa Catholic schools, Christians from the Melchite, Maronite and Latin Catholic Churches headed by their respective Bishops today received into Haifa the French Carmelite in a ceremony of welcome at which was present the Jewish Mayor of the city.
St Joseph’s Carmelite church, the only Latin parish in Haifa, today celebrated a Mass in honor of the Patroness of the Missions at which was present Christians from various rites.
A pilgrim for two months
Saint Therese will remain in the Holy Land for two months. Until the 31st May, the urn bearing the author of the “Story of a Soul” is planned to visit all the parishes in the Holy Land, including Gaza.
Among the many place to be visited besides Haifa are Nazareth and Tiberias. On Palm Sunday the relics will be in the Carmelite Nuns’ monastery in Nazareth and during Holy Week they will visit the Carmelite nuns in Jerusalem and Bethlehem.
Source:
Communicationes N. 174
28/03/2011
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