AIN ARIK – From February 9th till February 10th, 2024, His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, visited the parish of the Annunciation of Ain Arik, during which he held many meetings and administered Church Sacraments to the parishioners.
At the entrance of the Church H.B. CArd. Pizzaballa and the delegation accompanying him were welcomed by Fr. Firas Abedrabbo, Parish Priest of Ain Arik, Fr. Yacoub Rafidi, Parish priest of Ramallah, and Fr. Hanna Shanti from the monks of the small Annunciation family, the pastoral council and several parishioners, accompanied by Monks and Nuns. He was dressed with the Cassock, then sprinkled the faithful present with Holy Water and blessed them, while expressing his contentment for being present among them. expressed his happiness to be among them.
During the two days of the pastoral visit, H.B. Card. Pizzaballa dedicated a good portion of his time to visiting several houses of the parishioners. He spent time listening to their needs, and aspirations, as well as anointed the sick and the elderly with Holy Anointing Oil.
He also met with the parish priest to review the pastoral records, and pastoral and spiritual plans of the parish and discuss various projects to implement for the development and support of the parish.
On the evening of the first day, Card. Pizzabala administered the Sacraments of First Communion and Confirmation to five Children of the parish, during Mass. In his homily, he requested these little ones not to be afraid to carry Jesus in their hearts, for the power of the Holy Spirit they received, and by their communion, they are now able to testify every day with their works and their lives about the living Christ.
The next day, Cardinal Pizzaballa presided over a Mass for the school students. In his homily, he urged them to live in unity and love among themselves and to always make an effort to help the weak and needy, as well as remain steadfast in their faith amidst difficult life circumstances. He also encouraged them to invest their time in pursuing the hobbies they love and to always reflect the light of Christ to those around them. Then, His Beatitude visited the school and met with the principal and the teaching staff, during which he thanked them for their work and efforts and prompted them to continue to foster a belonging to the homeland and church.
He also had a meeting with Mr. Basil Aboudi, the chairman of the village council, and several members of the council, in the presence of Sheikh Mahmoud.
At the end of the visit, H.B. Card. Pizzaballa met with the members of various pastoral groups in the parish hall. He consulted with them on their future outlooks and plans. He expressed his trust in them and their commendable work, as well as his confidence in their continuous cooperation with the parish priest, monks, and nuns, in supporting the life of the parish.
