Yom Kippur retreat at Deir Rafat

Faithful from the Jerusalem, Jaffa and Haifa kehillot gathered at Deir Rafat on Thursday evening, September 12, 2013. They spent Friday and Saturday in prayer and some fasted in solidarity with the Jewish people on the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur. This year Yom Kippur and the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross coincided on Saturday, September 14.

Father David preached the retreat which focused on the theme of “Atonement and Cross”. The group read closely a number of texts that focus on Atonement and the Cross: Leviticus 16, Hebrews 9, 1Corinthians 1 and Ephesians 2.

The group prayed morning prayer each day together and gathered for mass in the chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Palestine, a special place to pray for peace in this land and in the region.

As always, the Sisters who live at Deir Rafat welcomed the faithful of the Vicariate with open arms.