Inaugurations

Daily routine of
cleaning the oil lamps

It's the last day of Ramadan. The streets were getting packed with muslim pilgrims from all over the country ... but notably missing are the hundreds of Indonesian pilgrims. Israel has banned them from entering the country after Indonesia condemned the American embassy move. Overnight the growing sector of the Indonesian tourist market shut down. Both muslim and christian groups cannot enter the country. Nevertheless the tens of thousands of local muslims entering the City are enough to choke the streets and alleys. The canon should fire 9 times but as I'm locked in my library (relatively sound proof) I won't be able to hear it.

Singaporean &
Hong Kong
benefactors thanked

Well I'm in the library at this late hour only by default. I was at the MC sisters for adoration and confession but when I finished at 7pm, the streets were too crowded for me to reach home. So I took the opposite direction and headed too the Christian Quarter and stayed in the library. Billy from Mian restaurant called to say he boiled pear and snow fungus soup, so I went over to drink it. Dinner solved. Now I'll have to see how long I must stay till I can reach home.

Benefactors thanked

The weather has warmed up a little today. No rain but still humid and damp. With the rain gone, it was just right to for our photo exhibition to start this morning. It's about the daily life of the friars in the Holy Land. Very nice pictures. I managed to capture one daily routine at the Holy Sepulcher that most people miss .... the cleaning and refilling of the oil lamps in front of the Empty Tomb. In fact I've only seen it twice in all my time in the Holy Land. The exhibition is in the foyer of our Curia building and I must say it is well structured.

Benefactors thanke

Well another inauguration next week will be one section of our museum. We have a plaque to thank our benefactors and they include several Singaporeans and Hong Kongers. Sincere gratitude to you for helping us preserve the biblical heritage in the Holy Land. We still need help, so please continue to support our Studium Biblical Franciscanum in Jerusalem in making this museum a reality.