Intense weeks of work for the friars gathered in Chapter in Jerusalem, July 4 to 16.
Intense weeks of work for the friars gathered in Chapter in Jerusalem, interrupted only by the Sunday break, for a day of rest. Some participated in Bethlehem to celebrate the first Mass of Brother Emad, newly ordained, while others went on a visit to Samaria and, after a first stop in Nablus at Jacob’s well, then continued to Sebastia for a visit to the archeology site of ancient Samaria, accompanied by Carla Benelli, art historian for the ATS Pro Terra Sancta Association.
A time for testing, with many difficult moments that led to the last day of the Custody Chapter of the friars of the Custody of the Holy Land.
The day started early in the morning when the Custos, Friar Francesco Patton, along with all the Chapter friars, as the women on Easter Sunday, went to the Holy Sepulcher to solemnly celebrate the dedication of the Basilica.
They then gathered for the plenary assembly, where the President of the Chapter, Brother Jakab Várnai, addressed the friars with a concluding speech, in which he described the spiritual path that, as President, he wanted the brothers of the Custody to undertake: “The Chapter was the descent to the river for the Chapter friars who will now have to decide whether or not, like the Samaritan woman, to ask the Lord that they be given the living water that will support them in their important mission in the Holy Land.”
A day in which, every chapter monk received the final message from the President, written as a synthesis of the work.