October 25th, Fest of Our Lady of Palestine

The patronage of Our Blessed Lady, Queen of Palestine, over the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre is quite recent. The title was first used by Patriarch Luigi Barlassina (1920-1947), on the occasion of his solemn entry into the Cathedral Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre on 15 July 1920, when his diocese was consecrated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. In 1983 Pope St John Paul II urged the Knights and Dames of the Order to continue their work in the Holy Land under the protection of Our Blessed Mother. Ten years later the then GM, Cardinal Giuseppe Caprio, asked Saint John Paul II to declare the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Palestine, Patroness of the Order. This was eventually granted by Pope Saint JPII in 1994. Since then the members of the Order celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Palestine every 25th October.

Gibraltar Celebration

This year our Knights and Dames will meet at the Cathedral of St Mary the Crowned at 6 pm, local time, for prayer, adoration (of the Blessed Sacrament) and then Sacred Mass. Knights, Dames and family members will also have a get together after the Mass to chat socially about the upcoming works of the Lieutenancy.

A prayer for peace in the Holy Land:

(taken from OESSH.VA)

Our Lady, Queen of Palestine, extend your hand over the Holy Land and over all who live there:

Jews, Muslims, Druze and Christians, Palestinians, Israelis, migrant workers and refugees.

Our Lady, intercede for us all and especially for the Church, the Body of your Son, Jesus Christ Our Lord.

We have been sent to preach Good News to all in the land that is yours and His, the land of the patriarchs, kings, prophets, apostles and of the first community formed to walk in the way of your Son, the Mother Church of Jerusalem.

This mission needs the courage and the perseverance, the wisdom and the faith that were yours, pray for us.

On your knees, He, who was your Lord and Master, learnt to speak and to pray, to act and to obey.

We ask you to teach us to speak and to pray, to act and to obey today in the land called to be holy.

In the midst of war and hatred, walls, occupation and discrimination, fear and rejection, instruct us how to be instruments of justice and peace, pardon and reconciliation.

We affirm with you that he is our peace.

Show us the way to incarnate in our life as Church both fidelity to your Son and an embracing love for all in this land, especially for those who are the poorest and the most excluded, the homeless, the refugees, the prisoners, those who are maltreated, oppressed and are victims of injustice.

Our Lady, Queen of Palestine, you are our mother, given to us by your Son on the Cross.

With you, we are called to be witnesses to the Resurrection that already heralds His Kingdom.

Modelling ourselves on you, we ask Him to anoint us as Spirit-filled proclaimers of the Good News that He has vanquished death by His death on the Cross and has given life to those in the tombs.

May we, members of His Body the Church, be living signs that point to the Kingdom that is already among us.

Amen.

Mother Mary, Queen of Palestine, pray for us.