"All that is beautiful must be given to God." Simple and essential these words that echoed on Thursday, March 3 at the Shrine of the Milk Grotto in Bethlehem. The Holy Mass, presided by Father Dobromir Jasztal, was celebrated inside the Eucharistic Adoration Chapel and a new precious tabernacle was inaugurated and blessed, donated by the Polish community ‘Queen of Peace’ to the Holy Land Custody.” MARIUSZ DRAPIKOWSKI Artist "This work is inspired by the Apocalypse of St. John. The closed section of the altar represents Jerusalem on Earth, with the 12 apostles and the 12 tribes of Israel. Christ is at the center. The doors open after passing through Him and the light that represents the heavenly Jerusalem appears....Jesus is the key of Jerusalem. Inside, two olive trees are depicted as the two witnesses of the Apocalypse. Many branches grow from these trees...the branches are decorated with many different crosses, to suggest how from a single trunk many different Christian professions may arise" Fr. DOBROMIR JASZTAL, ofm Vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land “This altar was designed for Jerusalem. At first it was placed in the fourth station, where, however, it was difficult to organize Eucharistic adoration. Then this association decided to donate this altar to an institution that already had the Eucharistic adoration. They identified this place here in the convent, in the church of the Holy Land Custody, the Milk Grotto, where the Sisters, Perpetual Adorers, for some years now guard the perpetual Eucharistic adoration.” Sr. MARIA STELLA Prioress of Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament Monastery "This is for us a great gift: a tabernacle so great and beautiful that was donated to the Custody. They gave it to us because we pray day and night for the whole world. We also pray for peace now. " The association's main objective is the promotion of prayer for peace through perpetual adoration. One of the most ambitious projects that this association is carrying on is called "Twelve stars in the crown of the Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace" and is to find or create twelve centers around the world where people can pray in communion with one another. PIOTR CIOLKIEWICZ President - Queen of Peace Community "Jesus is the real source of peace. We need His peace in our hearts. If we have peace in our hearts we will also have peace among the nations, in our families and in our environments. This gift is for this place, the Milk Grotto, so that people who come here can stand in front of Jesus, the source of peace, to receive the grace of peace in their hearts and take it around the world." Read More