Easter joy in our kehillot

It is a tradition in our kehillot to gather together on Easter Sunday and his year about 250 people came to the Convent of Our Lady Ark of the Covenant in Kiryat Yearim. The sun was shining and festive joy filled the hearts.

The day began with a mass. Before the entry of the priests, a moment was spent to remember those who had died since last Easter, Elena, Yoel, Miriam. Thirteen priests, headed by Father David, Vicar for the kehillot, celebrated the mass. Prayers of thanksgiving were offered for those who had been baptized at the Vigil mass the night before. In his homily,. Father David focused on the challenge of passing over into joy, which characterizes the feast. We are called on to proclaim this joy, the victory over fear, sin and death and to become apostles of the joy of the resurrection. As each year, this year too the music encouraged a spirit of prayer during mass. The wonderful musicians included representatives from the different communities, directed by Beeny from the Vicariate community, Myriam from Haifa, Magali from Jerusalem and Alberto from Jaffa.

At the end of the mass, those present welcomed in their midst a visiting bishop from Switzerland, Mgr. Marian Eleganti, who surprised everyone when he took Benny's guitar and sang a traditional hymn to the Holy Spirit.

After the prayer, Father Apolinary blessed the food and those present brought their delicacies out of their bags. The crowd dispersed to eat lunch in small groups.

At 14.00, they all gathered once again in the church for a show that included games, songs from different communities – four songs from Myriam from Haifa, four new songs from the Jerusalem community – and even two magicians (Matthias from Switzerland and Jeremie from France), who enthralled the young and the old time after time.

At the end of this wonderful day, the Shalom Community from Haifa animated the final prayer. They called on all to be filled with the Holy Spirit and to go out as announcers of the joy of the resurrection. Each one was invited to light a candle and to participate in a procession behind the Risen Christ…

Halleluia, halleluia!