SW News: Tucked inside the Monastery of the Holy Saviour in Jerusalem, the seat of the Custody of the Holy Land that is in charge of the Catholic sacred sites, is a very discreet yet busy workshop where liturgical vestments for most Catholic churches and shrines in the Holy City are prepared.

In the sewing and laundry unit of the monastery of the Franciscan friars, the nimble fingers of Sr Mariella Dinh of the Congregation of the Daughters of St Elizabeth and seven employees work like clockwork creating one vestment after the other in various designs and colours to match the liturgical season. Sr Mariella is in constant touch with the liturgical office taking note of the number of vestments needed in various monasteries and churches maintained by the Custody.

“Our two employees in the sewing unit have been working here for nine years and two years respectively and they are very fast in meeting every request,” said the nun, adding that batches of old vestments are also sent to them to be patched up or for new designs to be added.

Apart from liturgical attire, Sr Mariella and her employees are also tasked with stitching the habits of friars that are always in high demand as many friars come to the Holy Land for higher studies or as missionaries. During the lockdown, the demand for habits was low. But now with the easing of curbs, demand has gone up and we are concentrating on meeting the demand, said the nun. Normally, it takes one day to stitch a habit. Adjoining the sewing workshop is a laundry room with provisions to iron the vestments and habits.

For centuries, the Order of Friars Minor has been entrusted with the task of preserving the sacred sites in the Holy Land that are in the possession of the Catholic Church and to promote the faith of believers and pilgrims.