Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Nazareth (Agenzia Fides) - In Holy Land the Year of Faith will end on Sunday November 17 in Nazareth, with an "International Day of Faith" and with a solemn Mass presided over by the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Fouad Twal. The Catholic Churches of the Holy Land, along with the Custody of the Holy Land, have chosen to close the year proclaimed by Pope Benedict XVI as "a time of particular reflection" to "foster a more complete conversion to God". The Mass (10:30 am) will be held at the Mount of Precipice, in the place where already in May 14, 2009 the Liturgy of the Eucharist celebrated by Benedict XVI was held. The day will be marked by a number of initiatives, with the opportunity to visit all the Holy Places of Nazareth, and to take part in a torchlight procession to the Basilica of the Annunciation. "The ministry of tourism" explains to Fides Agency Bishop William Shomali, Patriarchal Vicar of the Patriarch of Jerusalem of the Latins "gave its contribution to prepare the site of the Mount of the Precipice, which can accommodate 60 thousand faithful. We hope it will be a great feast for the people of God, marked by the massive participation of many foreign workers - Indians, Filipinos and all the others - that belong to the Catholic Church. This is why we are thinking about a Liturgy celebrated in several languages. The celebration, convened by the 'mother church' of Jerusalem, will be a vivid image of the universality of the Church".
The celebrations of Nazareth will anticipate the closing events of the Year of Faith, which will take place at the Vatican Sunday, November 24, the Solemnity of Christ the King by a week. (GV) (Agenzia Fides 02/08/2013)
