Hebrew speaking Catholics and the Pope’s visit

Together with the entire Church of the Holy Land, the communities of the Hebrew-speaking Catholic Vicariate in Israel prepared themselves for the various encounters with the Holy Father in joy and expectation. The Vicar of the community, Father David, participated in the final planning meetings of the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries, the body that brings together all the heads of the Catholic Church from the different rites in the Holy Land (after he was named Vicar in mid-March, already late in the process). Thanks to an initiative from the Jerusalem community, t-shirts and caps were prepared that proclaimed our identity as members of the Catholic Hebrew-speaking Vicariate in Israel. 

The members of the Assembly of Ordinaries attended almost all the events of the Pope's visit. This meant that the Vicariate was represented at all these events by the Vicar. More importantly, at the two big masses held in Jerusalem and in Nazareth, groups from the various Hebrew speaking Catholic communities participated and were easily identifiable by their shirts, caps and flags.

Hebrew was not heard very often during the official celebrations and ceremonies of the visit but we did have our moments:

- At the mass in Jerusalem, Anya from the Jerusalem community read one of the intercessory prayers in Hebrew.

- At the mass in Nazareth, Vladimir from the Jaffa community read one of the intercessory prayers in Hebrew.

- At the celebration of vespers in the Nazareth Basilica, Rivka from the Jerusalem community read one of the intercessory prayers in Hebrew.

- At the mass in Nazareth, Mgr. Elias Chacour, Greek Catholic Archbishop of Galilee, thanked the civil authorities in Hebrew and proclaimed Christ's resurrection in Arabic, Greek and Hebrew.

- At the mass in Nazareth, the Custodian of the Holy Land, Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa read a brief summary of the Pope's homily in Hebrew.

- At the solemn entry of the Holy Father to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, five members of our communities in addition to the Vicar represented the Vicariate.

A peak moment for the Vicariate was, undoubtedly, during the vespers in Nazareth when the Pope specifically greeted our communities, stressing that we are "a reminder ... of the Jewish roots of our faith".

In the period of preparation for the visit and especially in the days before the visit, the Vicariate and our communities raised a lot of interest among the journalists. Many reports appeared in the international press and journalists contacted the Vicariate for interviews and details of our life in Israel. Some of the results were precise and interesting, others less so, but overall we received a good press. A few articles also appeared in the local press (HaAretz and Jerusalem Post). Before and during the visit there were also numerous radio interviews with members of the Vicariate in Hebrew and in foreign languages.

Now we return to quieter times, times to pray and to grow in faith and build our communities as flourishing gardens of communion with the Lord.