Michele Piccirillo R.I.P.

This morning we woke to the bad news that our professor and archaelogist, Fr. Michele Piccirillo died last night. He was ill for the past few months and had had a couple of operations. Though he is best known throughout the world as an expert archaeologist of the Holyland, we here will remember him as one of our brothers who gave us the example of selflessly working hard, tenacious in preserving the Christian memory of the Holyland and always available to students and professors alike. His love for the Holyland and the local Church is unequalled - as he had practically grown up here.

Fr Piccirillo used to sit opposite me during meals. He always told me to stay focussed, be calm, don't study too hard, and when I was out of hospital (he also then found out he had cancer), he told me to take good care of myself and that health is a precious gift from God. Those were his last words to me before he went to Italy and I never saw him again. He was less then 60 yrs old.

We pray that Our Lady of Palestine will accompany him to the heavenly Jerusalem, and console his family.