Catechism Children on a Pilgrimage to Bethlehem

What do you do in the Holy Land when the Christmas time is approaching? You visit the birthplace of Jesus! Exactly this was done by the members of the Pastoral Centre of Our Lady Woman of Valor in Tel Aviv on Saturday 21st of December 2024. Three, almost full, buses of pilgrims, adults and children, started their journey early morning to pray for graces for them and all their beloved.

They celebrated the Eucharist Hebrew in a cave of the Shepherds Field, presided by a Franciscan newly ordained priest Fr. Mark. After that, the buses left the pilgrims near the Basilica of Nativity and the pilgrims had two hours to venerate the birthplace of Jesus or to pray in other holy places like the Cave of St. Jerome, the Basilica of St. Catherine, or the Milk Grotto. Of course, there was time also for buying some souvenirs, or Christmas gifts, and having a good lunch. So, the local KFC vendor was almost sold out.

But the pilgrimage was also marked by a shadow of the impacts of the war. The pilgrims were not welcomed by a cheerful atmosphere of awaiting the Lord Jesus, didn’t see any public decorations as was customary, and couldn’t admire the usual Christmas crib on the Manger Square. But the hope of the Messiah Jesus and the joy of his coming could not be extinguished in the pilgrim’s hearts.

(Matej Fabian SDB)