NAZARETH – The Mother Church of Jerusalem, wanting to share the joy of the faith with her daughter churches around the world, is organizing an International Day of Faith whose theme is “Receive the Faith Offered – Offer the Faith Received.”
INTERNATIONAL DAY of FAITH
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NAZARETH
November 16-17, 2013
The “Year of Faith”, which opened in Rome on October 11, 2012 and in the Holy Land on the 27th, has given rise to many initiatives aimed at the rediscovery of the Christian faith. Prior to its conclusion on November 24, 2013, the Mother Church of Jerusalem, wanting to share the joy of the Faith with her daughter churches around the world, is organizing an
International Day of faith whose theme is Receive the Faith Offered – Offer the Faith Received.
The Catholic Churches of the Holy Land – Latin, Melkite, Maronite, Syro-Antiochene, and Armenian – invite the worldwide dioceses and parishes to come together to proclaim the Catholic faith, in
Nazareth
“Where it all began”
on November 16-17, 2013.
A pilgrimage to various shrines scattered all over the world has been one of the privileged events of the Year of Faith. Meeting and speaking with the pilgrims to the holy places, the Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land are witnesses of how seeing and contemplating Jesus of Nazareth, touching the places where He walked, and listening to His voice, can transform a person
The transformed Apostles were witnesses to Jesus, and going forth from Jerusalem they carried the flame of faith to the ends of the earth (cf. Acts 1:8). Quite rightly, Saint John puts it this way: “what we have seen and heard we proclaim now to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; for our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.We are writing this so that our joy may be complete.” (1 John 1:3-4).
By their presence in the Holy Land, pilgrims tell how the “faith received” has borne and continues to bear fruit. Paul of Tarsus had already felt the need to go up to Jerusalem, to meet the Mother Church and to speak about his service to the Word. “When we reached Jerusalem the brothers welcomed us warmly. The next day, Paul accompanied us on a visit to James, and all the presbyters were present. He greeted them, then proceeded to tell them in detail what God had accomplished among the Gentiles through his ministry.” (Acts 21: 17-19).
The Committee of the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land will organize the Marian celebration in the Basilica of the Annunciation on November 16 and the Eucharistic celebration at Mount Precipice on November 17. Dioceses and parishes are requested to make known their presence. The Committee of the Israeli Ministry of Tourism will be in contact with diocesan and private pilgrimage agencies concerning logistics and organization. The two committees collaborate effectively to the success of this event.
