Soon back in Jerusalem

On the right, the photo of the return of the body of Saint Savva the Sanctified to Jerusalem in 1965 as the consequence of the encounter, in the City of Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras to the country. It was an incredible burst of joy, cries, shoutings, prayers, full happiness "spiritual mirth" in Jerusalem that was then a divided City.

The relic of the Saint, the one Saint who "built" the Byzantine Typikon of the Eastern rite Services and prayers, was brought through the streets of the Old City, down to the Holy Sepulcher. Huge crowds were glad that Rome had returned the Saint who is so venerated in the Desert of Juda, where he created the most ancient lavra.

Then he was taken back to that monastery in the south and he reposes there since then. There are very strong ties between the way Saint Savva the Sanctified shaped monastic life, in very parallel ways to the rules written by Saint Benedict of Nursia in the Western tradition. The body of the Saint came back after years of exile away from the Land.

On the left, a call never to give up and do all possible actions to save, free, release, respect the hostages who are still in the hands of the Hamas and their co-workers in Gaza. "Do not forget us"!" yes is the big mitzvah, commandment as we come close to Hanukkah 5785 and Nativity 2024 (many hostages are Christians or Muslims or belong to other denominations. May they return safe and sound, so far it is possible. It is a duty, a real duty inscribed in the true tradition of Jewishness. May they come back alive, meet with their families and all of us. We have to apologize, at the end of this year 2024, for the very long, too long process that cannot be reached: they must come back at any price. And not as dead bodies (this sadly happens now). We praise, laud, sing, proclaim the marvels of life, life-giving sources of existence that is stronger than death and murder. So may it be, with God's Help, Will and forgiving Gifts.