JERUSALEM –On Friday, December 18, 2015, His Beatitude Fouad Twal, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem received the staff of religious institutions, and women religious communities who presented  their traditional Christmas greetings.

The employees of the Latin Patriarchate and Catholic organizations in the Holy Land were the first to greet the Patriarch.  The women religious from different communities serving in the Holy Land followed.  The Patriarch promised them a pastoral visit in the new year and warmly thanked them for their presence and work with the faithful of the Holy Land. The Rosary Sisters were welcomed by the Patriarch, then came the  Franciscans from Bethlehem, the Koinonia community from Tiberias and the Carmel Sisters of Jerusalem.

On Friday evening, the Patriarch will also meet with the teachers and staff of the Latin Patriarchate Schools in the Galilee area and celebrate Mass with them in Reneh.

On Saturday night, he will attend the traditional singing of Christmas carols in Beit Sahour.  It will be followed by a meeting with school teachers in Beit Jala and Beit Sahour.   In the meantime, Bishop William Shomali, Patriarchal Vicar in Jerusalem and Palestine will visit schools in Ramallah and the surrounding area.

Thomas Charrière

Source: Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem