SW News: The new Minister General of the Order of Friars Minor Fr Massimo Fusarelli and the Vicar General of the order Fr Isauro Covili led the Way of the Cross in Jerusalem on Friday, October 22, retracing the footsteps of Christ on His way to Calvary. Fr Fusarelli and Fr Covili are on an official visit to the Holy Land.

The OFM friars are in charge of the sacred sites in the Holy Land that are in possession of the Catholic Church. It is the first visit of Fr Fusarelli to the Custody of the Holy Land, as the Franciscan possessions in the Holy Land are known, ever since his election in July in Rome. He arrived in Israel on Wednesday along with Fr Covili.

Fr Fusarelli was welcomed by Fr Francesco Patton, the Custos of the Holy Land, and he began his official visit with a solemn entry to the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre where he venerated the tomb where the body of Christ was kept. On October 21, Fr Fusarelli celebrated Holy Mass in the shrine and later held a meeting with young friars in St Saviour’s Convent. The following day, he met all the Franciscan friars in the Holy Land and with them he led the Way of the Cross through the streets of Jerusalem.

On Saturday, the Minister General visited the Basilica of the Nativity and went in procession to the Holy Grotto where Jesus was born. Before his departure on October 24, he will travel to Galilee where he will pray at the Basilica of the Annunciation. He will also offer Holy Mass in the Basilica and then visit other shrines along Lake Tiberias.

The Minister General will also hold talks with Latin Patriarch His Beatitude Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Apostolic Delegate Monsignor Adolfo Tito Yllana and other Franciscan religious. He will also visit some projects for local Christians that are being carried out by Franciscans and they include the Piccirillo Centre in Bethlehem and the Terra Sancta School in Jerusalem.

“We feel the responsibility that the Church has entrusted to us in the Holy Land very strongly,” the new Minister General said in an interview with the magazine of the Custody of the Holy Land. “We have to consider the Holy Land as a medal or earth that belongs to us. It is a gift that has been given to us and which we must take great care of. In the first place, in continuing to offer this vocation and this service to the friars. As Minister General, I want to commit myself to offering this services in the visits to the various provinces of the Order.”

Pledging his support to the friars, Fr Fusarelli said that he will be visiting the friars in Syria and Lebanon who are also part of the Custody.

https://www.custodia.org/en/news/visit-holy-land-new-minister-general-order-friars-minor