Equestrian Order of s. Sepulchre - Finland

PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOLY LAND BY THE FINNISH LIEUTENANCY

In 2010 our Knights, Ladies and Friends had several already traditional activities and events. The yearly retreat took place in the Bridgettine Convent in Tallinn, Estonia in early February, our Grand Prior H.E. the Most Reverend Teemu Sippo, Bishop of Helsinki, giving the meditation. The Bridgettine sisters provided, as always, a peaceful, warm environment for the retreat weekend. In September a gala dinner, as in the preceding year, took place in the Italian Embassy in Helsinki. The income of this event added substantially to the net funds to be sent to the Holy Land. The series of the so called “home seminars” hosted by each Knight or Lady in his or her turn provided a good opportunity to discuss and deepen the understanding and the content of being a Knight or a Lady in our Order.

The main event of 2010 for the Finnish Lieutenancy was the pilgrimage to the Holy Land. In the first morning the Most Reverend William Shomali, the Auxiliary Bishop of Jerusalem, received us at the Latin Patriarchate. It was a delightful visit, once again. Afterwards we had the mass in the Cathedral of the Latin Patriarchate. We walked the Via Dolorosa in the early dawn in the second morning, ending it at the place of Golgata in the Cathedral of the Holy Sepulcher. From Jerusalem we visited the Catholic parish and school of Taybeh, one of schools supported by the Knights. The Catholic community there seems to be doing very well. However, we were told by fr. Raed Abusahlia, who is the parish priest in Taybeh, how important it is for them to stay connected to the Catholic community outside the West Bank in order not to feel isolated. We also visited the seminary in Beit Jala, also supported by the Knights. After discussions we had a vesper and enjoyed a supper with the seminarians.

From Jerusalem we travelled south via Ein Ged and Masada to Eilat and further for a brief visit to the Convent of Saint Catherine in the Sinai in Egypt. It was a great experience to visit the monastery from the early centuries AD. From Egypt back to Eilat, then over to Jordania and further on along the heights east of Jordan River to Petra. The ancient Petra was included in the program because of its importance in the cultural history.

After Petra our next stop in Jordania was the school in Kerak, once more one of the schools supported by the Knights. Again the same message came through how important it is to have visitors and to stay connected with the Catholics all over the world. From Kerak to River Jordan to the place where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. The final night we spent in Bethlehem and celebrated there the mass on the first Advent.

Our pilgrimage took us to less frequently visited parts of the Holy Land. We visited Nablus in the North and Hebron in the South of the Palestine territory. In Berseba, Israel we had the rare possibility to celebrate mass at the church of the Hebrew speaking Catholic congregation.

One of the main impressions of our trip is how rich is the history of the Holy Land and the history of the Christendom there. It is also evident how important it is to continue to support the Catholic Church and the Catholics there, both financially and spiritually, and to ensure the presence of both in the Holy Land, now and in the future.