Better Palm Sunday video and photos

If you have 9 minutes to spare, here's a better-quality video of the Palm Sunday procession:

There are also better-quality photographs on the Latin Patriarchate website, along with the text of the bishop's sermon.

A Palm Sunday procession like no other

I can claim that fairly confidently, because while there might be other Palm Sunday processions that match it in joyful, multilingual internationality, none of them follow the same route (more or less) as the original Palm Sunday.

We began at the church in Bethphage, built on the spot where Jesus is supposed to have mounted the donkey (and its colt, if you follow Matthew's version), and we then went up to the top of the Mount of Olives, where one gets an iconic view of Jerusalem. Coming down the hill, we went past the Garden of Gethsemane, across the top of the Kidron Valley, and into the Old City via the Lion Gate. We didn't go onto the Temple Mount - I guess the Muslims aren't too keen on having 5000 noisy Christians invading their patch - but otherwise it followed the route Jesus did, allowing for a few changes in road layout over two millennia.

The local Christians - mostly Arabs, but also some Hebrews - were well-represented; but there was a mixed rabble of different nationalities, some who were visitors to Jerusalem, some who work here. As we went along, the different groups sang songs in their own languages - which probably sounds chaotic, and it was, but it kind of worked, as this video hopefully illustrates:

Dancing also featured in some cases, including this African-led group:

At this point we'd been going for two hours; but people were still buzzing with energy. It was a joyful and happy occasion. Even the Franciscan friars were jumping around, the Arabs were singing their own version of Laudato Sii, and of course the Palestinian marching bands had to get in on the act. But enough videos from me. Here are some photos to complete my account:

Gathering in the church courtyard at Bethphage

The Franciscans are recruiting from an early age, it seems

Off we go...

The view southwest

Nearly at the top of the Mount of Olives

(the Dome of the Ascension can be seen behind the lamppost)

Going down...

First views of Jerusalem

Getting closer

The Lion Gate

Drummers warming up (and drowning out the bishop's sermon)

The wider family

As a follow-up to the previous post about the Capuchins who live here in Jerusalem, it makes sense to introduce you to the other people living in the same compound. We Capuchins live in the largest building, which has capacity for about 50 guests; but there are smaller buildings and wings that are inhabited by other religious orders or put to ministerial use.

Firstly, there are the Ursuline sisters, living in a wing on the other side of our church. Sr Claudia (the taller one) runs a centre for immigrant children - of which more in a later post. Sr Sandra works at the offices of the Latin Patriarchate.

Living in a house at the bottom of the garden, a house which was for a long time the friary, are the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist. Sisters Monica, Naomi, and Mary David (left to right) assist a project for traumatised children in Bethlehem, which was founded by their congregation, but they also work for the Latin Patriarchate and the Franciscan Custody in Jerusalem. (Sharp-eyed Coventrians may notice their cross of nails; but apparently it has a separate origin to Coventry Cathedral's cross of nails.)

Finally, in a corner of the property is a small house used by the Josephites (a congregation inspired by Blessed Charles de Foucauld). The current resident is Padre Giovanni Paolo.

The Capuchins in Jerusalem

Although I have shared a lot about my experience here in the Holy Land, I have somehow omitted one of the most important parts of that experience - the men whom I live with. So herewith I introduce the Capuchin fraternity of Jerusalem.

Br. Kevin is from Tamil-Nadu in India. He has a degree in botany  (hence he is our expert in the garden) and another in information science, and he worked for a pharmaceutical company before joining the Order. During formation he volunteered to be a missionary and soon after ordination he was sent to Zimbabwe. After 15 years there, during which he served two terms as Custos (the minister for all the Capuchins in the country), he agreed to be assigned to Jerusalem as guardian of the friary. He has now been here nearly two years, getting the place well-organised.

Br. Chipaya is from Zimbabwe, where his father was the chief of his home village. His Capuchin life has been almost entirely in Zimbabwe; but last year he agreed to come to Jerusalem to help out Br. Kevin in running the friary. He is currently sweating hard over learning Hebrew.

Br. Yunus (no photo, sorry!) is the longest-standing member of the fraternity here - he has been in Jerusalem for nearly 10 years, studying and slowly working his way towards a PhD in early antiquity archaeology (which he will complete this June). He is originally from Turkey, of Armenian descent, but joined the Capuchins in Italy.

Br. Santosh is from Karnataka Province in India, but ministered for 12 years to tribals in Mizoram in the northeast of India. He has been in Jerusalem about 2 years, working as a chaplain to immigrants of his own language (this ministry means he keeps us supplied with Indian food). He sometimes also acts as a guide for groups of pilgrims to the Holy Land. 

Br. Gian Nicola was born in New York to Italian parents, and the family moved back to Italy when he was 13. It was there he joined the Capuchins, but he oscillates between identifying as Italian or as American, depending on his mood or other circumstances. He is in the early stages of a PhD in Biblical studies at the Hebrew University.

Br. Ebin is from Kerala in India. Unlike the majority of Capuchins from that state, he is of the Latin rite, not the Syro-Malabar rite (this fact is very important to him). He is in Jerusalem to study for a licentiate at the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum.

Br. Rakesh is from Andhra Pradesh, India; but while still studying for the priesthood was sent to Switzerland, as part of the reinforcements for the Capuchins there. He is now in Jerusalem to complete his studies for ordination, for which purpose he goes to the Salesian College; but he will eventually return to Switzerland, where he now feels at home.

Earthquake in Papua New Guinea

This is a bit of a diversion from my posts about the Holy Land; but as many people already know, I have visited the Southern Highlands of Papua New Guinea. What you might not know, because it has had little coverage in the news so far, is that the same area has recently been hit by an unusually large earthquake. Many people live in remote villages, some of which have been completely swept away by landslides.

It breaks my heart to think of the suffering of these poor people, who were always so welcoming and friendly. The normal aid agencies don't seem to be involved (as yet); but one way of sending help is to the Diocese of Mendi, which covers the affected area. The bishop (a Capuchin) has provided an initial assessment of the damage. I've been waiting to hear from him about the best way to send funds directly to the diocese; but communications are intermittent, it seems. In the meantime, this page provides some guidance about donating to the diocese.

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow...

...they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you...

...even Solomon in all his glory...

...was not clothed like one of these.

(Matthew 6:28-29)