From Jerusalem an unceasing supplication is raised to Mary for peace on the day of her Assumption. In Gethsemane, at the foot of the Mount of Olives, Mary's tomb, the place from which she was assumed into heaven, has been venerated for centuries: here, Franciscans led by Brother Francesco Patton, Custos of the Holy Land, celebrated the Solemnity of the Assumption between August 14 and 15. The celebrations began on the evening of August 14 with a prayer vigil in the Garden of Gethsemane. H.E. Msgr. Adolfo Tito Yllana Apostolic Delegate for Jerusalem , Msgr. Cesar Franco, Msgr. Humberto Malfa, Br. Ibrahim Faltas Custodial Vicar together with Christians from local communities participated. The reading of various passages narrating Mary's life enabled everyone to pray in an atmosphere of recollection. Participants then walked in procession through the Garden of Olives to the Basilica of the Agony, singing Marian hymns. Brother Francesco Patton began, “This year in the vigil celebration we have an extra reason to pray. It is given by the situation in which we find ourselves, which is a situation of war, not only here in the Holy Land, but in many countries of the world. Therefore, this evening we look to Mary, we look at what God has worked in her. And we firmly believe that nothing is impossible for God: not even to transform into a garden of peace this field of battle and death that is the world in which we live.” On the morning of August 15, another procession was held with the presence of the Custody's friars and priests and Christians from the various communities present in the Holy Land for the solemn pontifical mass. In his homily, the Custos emphasized the figure of Mary as “prophecy,” inviting us to interpret her words and her life in the light of the Word of God. At the end of the Mass, the statue of the Virgin Mary was carried in procession to the Garden of Gethsemane amidst recollection and the singing of the Lauretan litanies. In the basilica, the Custos invited the assembly to recite with faith the supplication for peace. Prayer that from the Holy Land was spread in the various languages to the different parts of the world. Br FRANCESCO PATTON,ofm Custos of the Holy Land The prayer that is this supplication to Mary assumed into heaven to give us peace was born in dialogue with Brother Sinisa, with the guardian here of the Gethsemane community. In this context of war, of somewhat global difficulties, I tried to compose a prayer avoiding using my own words and so I stole something from a prayer of St. Francis. I also stole something from a prayer of St. Anthony and I stole especially from Our Lady taking from the Magnificat and from her Son taking from the Beatitudes. This is a prayer with which we want to ask for the gift of peace. We ask it of course through the intercession of Mary but we ask it precisely also and directly from the Son of Mary. Jesus who is our Savior, who is the Prince of Peace and who, the apostle Paul tells us, is himself our peace because he died on the cross, he gave his life to reconcile all of humanity. Br FRANCESCO PATTON,ofm Custos of the Holy Land We hope that Christians all over the world will continue to pray for peace, not only for peace in the Holy Land. We know that there are at least 60 active hotbeds of war in the world, and I believe that for Christians the commitment to pray for peace should be continuous and constant. Br SINISA SREBRENOVIC, ofm Guardian Convent of Gethsemane With talked a little bit with Father Custos about these days which we already usually have here at Gethsemane. They are related to the Feast of the Assumption, and we thought for this year, given the situation we are in, to pray especially for peace. We wanted to dedicate these days with prayer to Our Lady and making a supplication. The Custos had written a small supplication to Our Lady, which was accepted by the Patriarch, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, who also asked for it to be done throughout the diocese. Br SINISA SREBRENOVIC, ofm Guardian Convent of Gethsemane So many in the world have taken up this prayer and this invitation for peace. I think the most important thing is that, as I had also said at the end of the Eucharistic celebration, we are talking too much about peace and we are praying too little, so let's pray more and talk less. Let's continue to pray for peace, that's important, our invitation from here of Holy Land is that, let's pray, let's pray. In the morning at the Dormition Abbey, the place where tradition places Mary's home, a community composed of many different nationalities participated in the mass presided over this year by Abbot Father Nikodemus Schnabel. Immediately after the celebration, the faithful descended amidst singing into the crypt and there herbs were blessed, recalling the fragrance the Virgin left on earth after being elevated to heaven by angels. Today it mingles with the suave aroma of the prayers of all the faithful who come here to ask for peace on earth. Fr NIKODEMUS SCHNABEL, OSB Abbot - Abbey of the Dormition Basilica in Jerusalem Today what we see is an ocean of suffering. I am very grateful to the Ordinary Bishops of the Holy Land for taking the decision to announce a special day of prayer for peace. Really, I can say again, I feel surrounded by an ocean of suffering and let us be a place of hope in this holy city, Jerusalem. Another important moment of the Feast of the Assumption celebrated in Jerusalem is the second vespers in the cave of Gethsemane. This cave-known as the “Cave of Betrayal” or the “Cave of the Apostles”-is believed to be the oldest part of Gethsemane. The Franciscans, after praying vespers, then went on a pilgrimage to the Church of the Tomb of Mary. There they were welcomed by representatives of the Greek Orthodox and Armenian communities, as stipulated by the Status Quo governing the life of the most important Holy Places. Singing hymns to the Virgin, the friars of the Custody of the Holy Land paid homage to Mary, mother of Jesus. Glorious Mother of God, Elevated above the choirs of angels, pray for us with Saint Michael the archangel and with all the angelic powers of heaven and with all the saints, with your most holy beloved Son, Lord and Master. Obtain for this Holy Land, for all her children and for all humanity the gift of reconciliation and peace. May your prophecy be fulfilled: the proud be scattered in the thoughts of their hearts; the mighty be overthrown from their thrones, and finally the lowly be lifted up; may the hungry be filled with good things, the peaceable be recognized as children of God and the meek may receive the earth as a gift. May Jesus Christ, your Son, grant it to us, Who today has exalted you above the choirs of angels, has crowned you with the diadem of the kingdom, and set thee on the throne of eternal splendor. To him be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. Read More