The Dominicans of the Convent of Saint Stephen and the École Biblique celebrated the transitus – the passage from death to eternal life – of their “father” Saint Francis on Wednesday 4 October 2023, together with the Franciscans of Jerusalem in the Church of Saint Saviour.
The solemn Mass was presided over by our Prior, Brother Martin Staszak, and concelebrated by Brothers Piermarco Luciano, Francesco Patton, Custos of the Holy Land, Ibrahim Faltas and Tony Choucry.
This joint celebration is the result of an 800-year tradition. It commemorates the spiritual brotherhood of these two Middle Ages mendicant and missionary orders. According to Christian iconography, the two saints met in a chapel in Perpignan in 1210 and, like two apostles, were soberly sent to rediscover the foundations of the Gospel and rebuild a faltering Church.
Quoting from the Testament of Saint Francis, “The Lord has given me brothers”, Brother Anthony updated and generalised the mission of the two founding saints for the whole Church today, placing himself under their patronage.
“May our Holy Fathers, Sts. Francis and Dominic, inspire the universal Church today with peace and goodness and the grace to faithfully follow the One, who though he was rich humbly made himself poor, that by the unplumbable riches of his adorable Cross he might ransom and redeem the whole world.” Friar Anthony Giambrone‘s homily
On Saint Dominic’s Day, August 8, our our Franciscan friends from Jerusalem will come to celebrate with us in the Basilica of Saint Stephen.
Photos : Custodia Terra Sancta