His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, conducted a pastoral visit to the city of Nazareth from April 23rd to April 28th, 2024, to learn about the condition of the parish and the town, which hosts one of the largest Latin parishes in Galilee, in addition to meeting with the local community.
At noon of Tuesday, April 23rd, His Beatitude the Cardinal was received by Mgr Rafiq Nahra, Patriarchal Vicar of Galilee, Fr. Ibrahim Sabbagh, Parish Priest of Nazareth, Fr Antonios Habib, Vicar priest, a crowd of priests, religious sisters, and faithful in St. Anthony’s Hall.
Fr. Ibrahim Sabbagh gave a welcoming speech, thanking His Beatitude for this special visit, while describing him as the good shepherd who knows his sheep and his sheep know him, and who leads them to green pastures with love and care.
On behalf of the parishioners and the Pastoral Council, Mr. Osama Karam delivered a welcoming speech, explaining to His Beatitude the parish’s aspirations for this visit. Then, H.B. Card. Pierbattista expressed his gratitude: “I feel greatly moved by your welcoming... I came to Nazareth after completing my visit to Jaffa of Nazareth, to meet and get to know up close the reality of this parish. I came to listen first and foremost to my flock, but also to other members of the community, the different churches, and the Muslims. I want to meet you in your daily life and not just as greeters on the Feast of the Annunciation. This visit takes place under the care of the Lord, and requires a lot of prayer because every decision we make must serve one goal, the glory of God.” Some of the challenges and difficulties facing the people of Nazareth were presented to His Beatitude, such as the issue of security and safety, the instability of the country, and the migration of young people. In the end, he blessed all the attendees with Holy water.
During his visit, His Beatitude met with various monastic orders and consecrated groups in Nazareth, in addition to the various pastoral activities of the parish, where he listened to them and learned about their needs. He also met with the parents of First Communion and Confirmation students. The number of participants reached 90 families. He talked with them about the various difficulties facing families and the lives of young Christians in Nazareth and how to maintain hope amidst difficulties, saying: “Despite the many problems, there is no use in complaining. Rather, we must work together to be a part of the solution and provide leadership to the young, by helping them meditate on God’s word. So hope and peace never fade from their hearts amidst a world full of darkness and difficulties.”
On Wednesday, April 24th, he visited the Holy Family Hospital and the French Hospital, where he met with Mr. Ibrahim Harbji, Director of the Holy Family Hospital, and Professor Nael Elias, Director of the French Hospital. He also met with the sisters of Maria Bambina, who serve in the French Hospital, and the sisters of Charity, who have been serving at the Holy Family Hospital for a hundred years. He visited the medical departments and learned about the various unique and modern health services provided for the people of Nazareth. He also held a meeting with the administrative and medical staff, where His Beatitude learned about the work of the two hospitals and their future projects. During the meeting, he thanked the sisters and employees for their faithful service to the town.
Cardinal Pizzaballa devoted a special time, to visiting various schools in the city, where he met with the administration, teachers, and staff. He also visited several classrooms. During his visit to the Salesian School, on Thursday, April 25, His Beatitude expressed his appreciation for the spiritual and educational upbringing the school provides: “The Salesian School is considered part of the Christian identity in Nazareth because it has left an imprint on the lives of many people over the generations.” This was followed by a visit to the Holy Family Center of the Don Guanella Community in Italy, which provides education for people with special needs from 6 to 21 years old. On Friday, April 26, His Beatitude visited Terra Sancta School, which is one of the oldest Christian schools in Nazareth, and Saint Joseph School. He explained that one of his goals is to improve the religious education in the schools, explaining the way to achieve this, he said: “The family, the school, and the parish, are the three pillars, which provide spiritual formation for the children. Hence, I am working on putting forth programs to ensure contact and collaboration between the three”.
On Thursday, April 25, His Beatitude held a meeting with members of the Nof Hagalil municipality from the Joint List for Coexistence, which consists of Dr. Shukri Awawdeh, Dr. Raed Ghattas, Mr. Habib Odeh, and Ms. Lamis Moussa, in the presence of Mgr Rafiq Nahra, Fr. Ibrahim, Fr. Antonios, and Mr. Osama Karam, a member of the Pastoral Council of the parish in Nazareth. The municipality members presented an overview of the Arab population in Galilee and the importance of the Arab presence in the city. They also discussed various proposals for organizing religious and cultural services for the citizens, to encourage tolerance of diversity and appreciation for differences.
Based on His Beatitude’s desire to visit various religious and local institutions, not only his flock, he visited the Coptic and Orthodox Church in Nazareth, in addition to the Peace Mosque, the White Mosque, the Salesian Center, and the notables of the Islamic families in Nazareth: the Al-Zahir, Al-Safadi, and Al-Afifi families.
The pastoral visit included a meeting with the university and working youth group, which consists of more than 70 young men and women, in addition to the Saint Francis Youth group, which includes approximately 25 members. They introduced themselves, the spirituality they live by, and their various annual activities.
On Saturday afternoon, April 27th, Card. Pizzaballa administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to 80 children from the parish, at the Basilica of the Annunciation, with the participation of Mgr Rafiq Nahra, and in the presence of hundreds of faithful.
In his homily, Card. Pizzaballa affirmed that by receiving this sacrament, today, these children are saying yes to Jesus Christ, and thus they are becoming more spiritually mature. He advised them to remain steadfast in living out the commandments of God and be united: “Unity requires much forgiveness and love, which can be lived out by the help of the Holy Spirit”.
Afterward, he visited the Center for the Latin Scouts, which has 150 members, and encouraged them with a word, saying: “It is a very beautiful thing to witness the joy that the Scout brings to the holidays and celebrations, which take place in Nazareth and the Galilee region in general. It represents the Christian presence in the public place, but this does not sum up the life of the scout, as it also includes spiritual formation and the responsibility of belonging to the Church, the Society, and the Nation.” In the end, he thanked all those responsible for leading the Scouts and maintaining their vitality. It was followed by a spiritual meeting with the newlyweds and to-be wedded couples.
H.B. Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa concluded his pastoral visit, which extended over five days, by presiding over Sunday Mass in the Basilica, with the participation of the parish priest, the head of the monastery, and a group of clergies.
In his homily, Card. Pizzaballa gave a summary of his fruitful visit to Nazareth and thanked the parish priest and everyone who participated in the preparations. And while commenting on Sunday’s Gospel, which revolved around the vine and the branches, he pointed out that it is necessary to maintain a daily relationship with Jesus, to bear fruit, and work through the difficulties we are faced with, one of which is to work towards the unity of the faithful.
At the end of Mass, Fr. Ibrahim thanked him for his presence in the parish, despite his preoccupations, saying: “You came to encourage us in hope, faith, and love. Despite your busy schedule and many concerns as the pastor of a large flock, you preferred to be with your people, to listen to them and share with them these days.” Then he added, recalling the parable of the vine and the branches, that the branches, between which are small and large, by joining together actually unite with the vine. Your Beatitude is the branch with which we are all united in the diocese, thus uniting us together with Jesus.
