Thanksgiving

Eucharistic adoration tonight

It's the last day of 2022. We just finished singing Vespers and added the Te Deum in thanksgiving, all done within the Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction. Prayed in thanksgiving for all of you.

The year ended with the death of Benedict XVI. Alot of talk about its significance. I keep out of speculation and fantasy. All men have to die ... sooner or later. No need to see too much in that inevitable end.

The weather was very cold today. Lowest at 6 degrees and highest at 13, though it felt like zero during the day. I was in bed with blankets ad 2 heaters on. I was told to rest by the doc and avoid walking due to the wound on my foot. It's stopped bleeding but I mustn't make it reopen again. It's tricky when you have to take double anti-coagulant tablets.

Tomorrow is the first day of 2023. Will offer Mass for all of you. Let's pray it'll be a better year than 2022, and God will accompany you through it.

Tense

 

In our refectory

The weather has warmed up a little today .... 13 degrees maximum. It's very sunny and under the sun it's very comfortable. But once in the shadows .... it's very chilly with temp dropping by 4 degrees. Everyone is sniffling and coughing ... and no one knows if it's the cold or Covid as no one wants to be tested except me. I'm definitely negative.

Even chillier is the political climate here. A new coalition govt of extra-hardline parties - the hardest line rightist ever in the country's history - will be sworn in. People are demonstrating in the streets and the Parliament house as the swearing takes place. Diplomats and foreign ministry officials are warning of the repercussions of this hardline govt. Former and present judges are warning the same. The arab parties that brought down the former govt are shivering and regretting their ill-conceived move ... now they'll suffer the hardline discriminatory policies of the new govt. The new govt will reform the judicial system and police/military so that they come under the ministers' authority. No more independent judiciary. Settlements will be expanded. Budget allotment will move to ultra-orthodox institutions instead of the public welfare. Everyone except the hard right are rejoicing. The repercussions will be worldwide.

As our Christmas Octave ends, the Orthodox Christmas begins ... thus extending our holiday time for another week. Perhaps it'll be fun. 

Cold

Tropical fruit in winter

 It's the feast of the Holy Innocents today. And it's alot colder even though it's not raining, the sun is shining and the weather forecast says 9 degrees (but feels like 6). It was so cold last night many of us couldn't sleep and whoever had heaters had them on all night. Those who didn't hid under piles of blankets. Tomorrow the forecast is 4 degrees ... so that's alot colder than today. Our central heating has broken down so that's why we're so cold at night. And it's not likely to be repaired in a hurry ... given the local pace of work.

Strangely in the streets lots of tropical fruit are on sale despite the cold. There's pineapples, gingers, bananas and custard apples which are probably grown in the warm Jordan valley area. But there's also strawberries and cherries which should only fruit in March and April. Very strange.

This morning we went to exchange Christmas greetings with the Custos as is customary. Then another student who just had an operation, asked me to walk with him to another convent to greet a group of nuns. It's one km away so both of us slowly walked as we're both recovering from operations. Because we both had to be slow, the whole journey there and back took us almost 3 hours. That's 3 kms in all. One good thing was we had a little exercise and there was lots of fresh air in the park when we crossed it.

Well tomorrow is another day and we'll see how we'll cope with the cold.

Snow

Patriarch in Bethlehem for
midnight Mass

 It's Boxing Day and violence had broken out in the various towns outside Jerusalem. Gunmen had fired at jewish cars in the Nablus area, while arab cars were burnt that night as an act of revenge. Police have stepped up stop-and-search procedures in and around the Old City. Today is the last day of Hanukkah so I'm sure police presence will be increased.

Snow fell on Mt. Hermon, the highest and northern most mountain. It's a sure sign that a cold winter is beginning. Let's hope for snow in the south as well. We need the rain.

Today is also the feast of St. Stephen. Solemn Mass at the Dominican monastery was celebrated in the morning ... the place where Stephen was buried. Later in the evening the Franciscans will have vespers at the Greek Orthodox Church in the Kidron valley where Stephen was stoned to death. The heavy rains will not dampen the festive spirit.

Christmas

Christmas at the
Flagellation

It's Christmas Day and the weather is cold and rainy. Many people who went to midnight Mass in Bethlehem or Shepherds Field have either caught the cold or Covid. I must be so careful because of a couple of them from my house came home coughing non-stop. Expect a surge of infections next week.

The streets in the Christian areas are filled with festivities, since it coincides with the Jewish feast of Hanukkah. Police presence is almost at maximum but helps control the crowd situation. I guess that's good.

Yesterday on Christmas Eve I went to Shepherds Field to celebrate the Vigil Mass for the Chinese community that came from the furthest north and south of the country. Our 3 Indian sisters also came to join us. We had Mass in one of the grottos of Shepherds Field. I prayed for all of you and prayed for your intentions.

Wishing you all the best of God's blessings this Christmas!

Santa

 

Santa on a camel today

Santa came to town this morning. I happened to be on my way to the pharmacy, passing by New Gate when there was a huge traffic jam at that junction. Standing out from the crowd and cars and trucks , high on a camel was Santa Claus ho-ho-hoing into the Old City.

Three huge trucks carrying hundreds of Norfolk Pine were also at New Gate. The fresh young pines about a meter high were given free of charge to Christians who came to collect them by the hundreds. Even muslims came to get a tree for their homes. Yes I even saw a muslim couple going into a muslim shop selling Santa costumes and Christmas decorations, asking to buy a Santa suit for a child.

All this took place at 9am and the streets in the Christian Quarter were bustling with activity. In the evening the Christmas Bazaar at New Gate was so packed people could hardly move ahead. And the majority of visitors are Jews who happen to be celebrating Hanukkah. Literally thousands of Jews packed into the Christian Quarter to enjoy the Christmas fun ... Jewish children wearing santa hats and singing carols!! Visibly absent are the ultra-orthodox Jews who spit at these celebrations. For them, Christmas trees are idols, This year they succeeded in getting the police to stop us from decorating New Gate and outside it with lights and buntings. They're not very tolerant, nor charitable.

Lights

At New Gate

The temp continues to be warm during the day but nights are chilly. On Christmas Day it will fall to 7 degrees. Midnight Mass will be cold. And those walking to Bethlehem had better prepare themselves. Last Saturday some 3 thousand Catholic Indian migrant workers walked from jerusalem to Bethlehem to celebrate Christmas. It's an annual march and is very impressive as the procession stretches for a kilometer winding to the checkpoint and through the tiny roads leading to the basilica. It tok 3 hours to arrive there.

Meantime the Christian Quarter in theOld City is decked with lights, trees and buntings. This year it's very festive ... the pain of Covid closures is over. I see there are many Christmas bazaars organized this week in every Christian neighbourhood. Families make food and souvenirs and sell them at the bazaars so as to earn a little extra money for the festive season.

Yesterday night the jewish feast of Hanukkah started. It's an 8 day celebration that ends on Boxing Day. It celebrates the miracle of the jar of oil that lasted for 8 day. Hence it's also known as the festival of lights and every jewish home as a candelabra lit for 8 nights. 

So it's all light in the City ... alot of festivity for Jews and Christians.