The Patriarch of Jerusalem of the Latins gathers with his people in the sanctuary of Bethphage, blesses the olive trees and palm branches. A unique feast for this city, in which the Paschal mystery of Jesus was fulfilled. In this most difficult year for the Christians of the Holy Land, our gaze is fixed on the one who has overcome the world: Christ, the hidden desire of all nations who are all represented here in Jerusalem today by a multitude of Christians from all parts of the world. Although the Palestinian and West Bank Catholic communities were not allowed to participate, the sign of the Christian presence in Jerusalem is strong. In the songs, in the dances, in the prayer that each one expresses with their own style and charisma, the Christian presence is the presence of the Risen Christ: he alone has the final say on history and human affairs. Br Francesco Patton Custos of the Holy Land What we saw in this afternoon. In this procession from Bethphage to Jerusalem there was the walking of the church. It means that all Christians in the world feel that they are children of this church. There is a Psalm that says "all were born there" and it refers to Jerusalem. Right now, I would say, we know that the Church in Jerusalem needs Christians from all over the world to come here as pilgrims. To express a concrete communion with that Church which is their mother and which is in a time of suffering. Catholics, but together with them Anglicans and Protestants, and in spiritual communion with the Orthodox who are celebrating the Feast of Orthodoxy today, descend together as brothers from the Mount of Olives, and arrive at the Lions Gate. There the procession stops, at the convent of St. Anna, and His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, delivers a homily that is like the proclamation of the apostles: Do not be afraid, I say this to our brothers in Gaza, brave brothers of ours, we will never leave you, do not be afraid. I say this to the pilgrims, who are part of the identity of Jerusalem, do not be afraid. H B Card Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Patriarch of Jerusalem of the Latins I don't know if the world will have the courage to always look at the cross of Christ. For many, the cross does not say much. However, I can say that there is a pain that closes, but there is also a pain that can open. Here, we need to work so that this pain opens to new encounters, new perspectives. Despite everything that the tomb represents, the closed tomb represents, we must remember that Easter is a stone turned over. The stone holds death locked inside however it was overturned by Christ's victory, by Christ's love that defeated everything that is a shadow of death. We need to remember that. The cross of Christ-with which the Patriarch blesses the people-is God's victory over the world. Do not be afraid.   Br Francesco Patton Custos of the Holy Land Participating in the Paschal mystery and sharing in the resurrection of Jesus does not mean being revived as after a coma, but it means going through the experience of death and entering with our humanity together with the Risen Christ into the very life of God. Read More