Storm

Stormy day

Yesterday's viewers number 1253 ... another unusually high viewership.

The 2 days of warm weather has suddenly turned stormy and cold again. Lots of lightening and thunder, and hard raindrops like hail but not so solid. Temp has dropped back to 8 degrees or lower instead of the 18 degrees we enjoyed earlier this week. Well we hope the rains continue as we need it very much. We don't want another drought this summer.

The flood and hailstorm in Dubai was shocking. No one has seen such a thing before. Go watch some of the videos on Youtube.

Back again

Small family group

Viewers numbered 3013 yesterday and 441 today ... when I haven't updated for over 5 days. Alarm bells are ringing

Pilgrims are coming back. Yesterday evening I met a group of Taiwanese who were very enthusiastic. They were making their way to the Wailing Wall and we chatted and exchanged New Year greetings.

In the morning there was a large group of Indians from Kerela ... about 40 with a priest. They came to make the Way of the Cross. Then there are many small family groups numbering 5 to 10 people. From France, Spain, Brazil, Russia .... they're all here. And of course the largest national group is the Indonesians who send practically one group every 2 days. 

It's time to make a comeback to the Holy Land. We need you. Holy Week and Easter will not be the same without Jerusalem!

German group

Korean family

Taiwanese group

Group from Kerala

CNY

At the altar

Religious sisters from Asia

The past weekend was very hectic as the CNY started and there was a lot of organizing to do. There was a reunion dinner  on Friday with the chinese foreign workers in the Holy Land, then next morning we had Mass of Thanksgiving. Those who stayed back made a visit to the Holy Sepulchre and the Jewish Quarter for a visit. 

It was good that many came to join in the event as most are first-time workers here and miss their families during this festive season.

Religious sisters from Asia

The next day we had a CNY Mass with the nuncio, with some 70 religious from East Asia. It was the 1st ever event to take place here in the Holy Land. And I was extremely busy organizing it. From Japan, Korea, Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesian, Myanmar ... all the religious came to join in. It was very touching and significant. Everyone one without exception told to organize again such a gathering so we can all meet. 

Nuncio presides the Mass

CNY

Cold and wet streets

The Chinese New Year is round the corner. Who knows if the Dragon will bring some fortune and peace for us all? Let's pray that it will benevolent. Heard that it's a bad year for Rabbits ... 

The cold and rainy season is practically over. The past weekend went down to 1 degree and there was also hail. The nights were very cold ... well not as cold as in past years but still it's a huge drop from the summer heat that we had.

The exam season is over and students begin their 2nd semester. The rising temp and sunny days will make going to school easier. 

I've lost some weight since the hospital put me on this diet. Need to wear a belt for my pants now. Some people have noticed and asked if I am ill because I've lost a visible amount of weight. Well I hope it's for the best ... lower cholesterol, diabetes and BP. But for the CNY I'll be breaking the diet!!

Damascus Gate

Aid Appeal from the Custos

 *Message of the Custos*

Custos with a donation from
the Benedictine Monastery

Good Friday Collection 2024

Dear friends,

May the Lord give you His peace!

1. After experiencing more than two years of uncertainty due to Covid and deluding ourselves that normality had returned, suddenly on the 7th October 2023 we were taken by surprise by the outbreak of a new war in the Holy Land, which, in addition to causing thousands of deaths, once again blocked the flow of pilgrims, prevented our children from attending school for long periods and left many of our Christians in the Holy Land unemployed, especially in Bethlehem and Palestine, but also in the Old City of Jerusalem and in Israel.

2. In this situation we feel the need for the closeness and solidarity of Christians throughout the world. First of all, through prayer, because we are convinced that only the action of God's grace can change hearts and turn them to dialogue, reconciliation and peace. Then solidarity and closeness through pilgrimage. Finally, closeness and solidarity also through the sharing of economic resources,

3. As friars of the Custody of the Holy Land, it is our task, according to the mandate of the Holy See, to take care of the holy places, to dwell there and make them places of prayer, to be welcoming to the local faithful and to pilgrims, and also to put in place educational works such as schools, social works such as homes for the elderly and for young families, clinics and dispensaries, works of human promotion through the creation of jobs.

4. The Good Friday Collection serves to cover part of these costs, thanks to the generosity of the faithful throughout the world, thanks to your generosity.

5. On this occasion, we friars of the Custody of the Holy Land become beggars and we turn to you so that Good Friday may be a day of universal solidarity, a day on which Christians from all over the world take concrete care of the Mother Church of Jerusalem, which at this moment is in dire need of it.

6. Please open your hearts and help us according to your possibilities, so that we too can continue to care for this Holy Land and its children.

Peace and goodwill!

fr. Francesco Patton, OFM

Custos of the Holy Land

Storm

Heavy rain

Freezing weather the past days ... and almost non-stop drizzle. On Friday last the storm was so heavy in the Shaar Haggai valley where I was traveling to Jaffa for Mass that visibility was only 3 meters. It was frightening as you can hardly see the car ahead or behind or even the road itself. And the noise of rain hitting the roof and windshield was thunderous. Never in 30 years have I seen such a tempest. And it was good for the dry parched land which last year saw a drought. The land needed this soaking. But the poor people in the war zone without shelter or heating must have been a dreadful experience. 

Today the drizzle has stopped. A good respite for us to dry clothes, clean up the streets and terraces covered with leaves and debris from the storm. But the wind is still very cold. It's hovering around 6 degrees but forecast is 1 degree on Thursday. Everyone hopes for some snow but it's unlikely it will.

Clearing debris and mud

It's exam time for students and the storm is a good means to keep them at home and study. No chance of going out to play. 

I saw the roadworks at Damascus Gate washed away by the storm and a bulldozer had to come and clear the roundabout from sand and mud. Well the municipality could have finished that work last autumn and avoided this catastrophe. In stead the whole area down to Herod's Gate is like after a bombardment ... potholes everywhere, no asphalt, sand and mud; even the walkways are incomplete with some parts with paving stones and other parts sand and mud.

Full moon

Dark cold alleys

The rains have stopped but it's still very cold. This morning was 8 degrees. All my workers and volunteers are sick from this weather. They didn't come to work, and they won't come this whole week. They got sick-leave from the doctor. So I've been at work every day this week, going very early to work at 7am and returning home sometime around 6pm. 

The sun sets at 4.30pm so it's usually a cold dark walk back home. Police are everywhere. There's a palpable tension in the air. I don't look up. I focus on the slippery stone pavement and steps. My greatest fear is to fall and hurt myself. That's a typical fear of the elderly.

Full moon

Last night the full moon was peeking in and out of the rain clouds. It was rather beautiful, with the drizzle in the foreground. I stopped several times to photograph the moon. It's not allowed to stop or sit at Damascus Gate; 2 weeks back a soldier aimed his machine-gun laser on my chest to warn to me move on as I sat on the bench to catch my breath. I was having difficulty in breathing but he'd have shot me if I didn't move on. Now I walk slowly so as not to provoke an asthma attack and need to sit down.