VIA DOLOROSA
Even though the weather the previous evening had taken somewhat of a turn with a torrential downpour in Jerusalem, spirits were high as we began day 5. This week we have slowly moved through the various stages of the Lord’s Passion and today we undertook the culmination of our reflections as the pilgrimage walked the Via Dolorosa – 'The Way of the Cross'. This ancient prayer of walking the Stations of the Cross proved to be a most powerful way to incarnate and give expression to the inexhaustible mystery of Passion, Death and Resurrection. As one pilgrim noted 'you see in every Church the Stations of the Cross and what a way to make them come to life, by truly walking in the footsteps of Jesus'.
Fr John Farrell OP addressed the group in the Church of the Flagellation before we began and he set the tone for this important act of prayer. 'We walk with Christ in His way of sorrow, in a world of weeping in this city of tension, this veil of tears’, Fr John poignantly said The endeavour was not without difficulty and one could be forgiven for having the image of a serene picturesque market as the scene for this act of prayer; the truth is somewhat different - a city and its winding streets in full flow, with traffic, pedestrians and merchants to avoid. It was certainly a struggle for piety in the ordinary sense of the word, but not without impact and gusto.
After the pilgrims completed their own Via Dolorosa, we approached one of the most venerated sites in all of Christendom: The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the site of the Death and Resurrection of Our Lord. We arrived to the chiming of Church bells which signalled the arrival of the Greek Patriarch of Jerusalem, and what an entrance! A procession of military precision, a spectacle which was equally flamboyant and reverent.
The next few hours were reserved for personal devotion, whether that was by visiting the Tomb of Jesus, the site of Crucifixion or the anointing stone. It was as though time stood still; one could purposefully waste an eternity trying to come to terms with the profundity of this encounter, a place where the veil between heaven and earth is, even if only for a moment, thinner.
After the morning visits, pilgrim Michael Greene reflected: ‘For me it’s been a wonderful experience, very enlightening and I’ve really enjoyed it. It’s been a marvellous journey of faith as well.’
LATIN PATRIARCHATE
The group was then hosted by the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Archbishop Fouad Twal, in the Co-Cathedral of the Holy Name of Jesus, situated between the Jaffa Gate and the New Gate in the Old City, minutes from the Holy Sepulchre. The architecturally 'Latin' (i.e. Catholic) surroundings gave the Church a very familiar 'home feel' one pilgrim noted. At the start of Mass the Cardinal congratulated the Youth Chaplain of the Diocese, Fr David Reilly, on the 6th anniversary of his Ordination (rather aptly Fr David later visited the site of the Last Supper, the place of the institution of the Eucharist and Priesthood). Fr John Farrell OP in his homily exclaimed: 'Jesus is no longer dead…you have seen the place where they laid Him, but He is risen and He is with us until the end of time'.
BETHLEHEM
So after a day of immense spiritual significance we drove to Bethlehem, seeing the imposing manmade structure of separation, the wall that separates the Holy City from Bethlehem. Bethlehem, meaning House of Bread, was the last port of call for ancient pilgrims to the Holy City as it on the edge of the Judaean Desert. This penultimate stop before arriving at the Manger Square Hotel was one of retail therapy where we could support the local economy, and saw the very famous handmade olive wood carvings of the Holy Family (just in time for Christmas). We retired after a spiritually involved but extremely worthwhile day. Tomorrow we will celebrate Mass with local Christians in Beit Jala and in the afternoon contemplate the mystery of the incarnation by visiting the Basilica of the Nativity.
For more photos of the day, please click HERE
For today's Youth blog, please click HERE
