Jerusalem (AsiaNews) – Born on the eve of Jesus' agony, the night of Holy Thursday, the Church of Jerusalem "wants to be the Church of Mercy”. For this reason the faithful must take advantage of this Jubilee Year, making it an occasion for conversion and supplication so as to bring "greater compassion, justice, and peace" in the Holy Land, said Fouad Twal, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem.
The Church of the Holy Land chose the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus Christ underwent his agony to mark the beginning of the Jubilee. Here, His Beatitude spoke to the Christian community during the Mass that followed the opening of the Holy Door of Mercy in the Basilica of Gethsemane (pictured) on Sunday, 13 December.
Meditating, the faithful followed the Cross of Christ during a procession around the cloister, before stopping in front of the still closed Holy Door, where they laid down olive branches. They also sang the Litany of the Saints in Arabic, marking the solemn moment when the door opened.
As the patriarch hit the door of the basilica with a hammer three times to open it, a choir sang Psalm 89, "I will sing of your mercy forever, Lord."
He was followed into the Basilica for the Mass by the Apostolic Nuncio Mgr Giuseppe Lazzarotto, Mgr William Shomali, Mgr Giacinto-Boulos Marcuzzo, Mgr Kamal Bathish, the Custodian of the Holy Land Fr Pierbattista Pizzaballa as well as scores of priests and faithful.
During the homily, centred on the theme of mercy, Patriarch Twal urged the faithful to turn the Holy Year into an opportunity of conversion and prayer. He also mentioned the many events and initiatives planned for the Jubilee in the Holy Land, which will allow every pilgrim to "feel a little closer to Christ."