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VISIT OF CARDINAL FERNANDO FILONI THE GRAND MASTER OF THE EQUESTRIAN ORDER OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE.

On Tuesday 27 April/ 10 May 2022, the Cardinal His Most Rev. Eminence Fernando Filoni, the Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre visited the Patriarchate, accompanied by His Beatitude the Latin Patriarch in Jerusalem and the Apostolic Delegate to Jerusalem and other associates of him and the clergy of the Latin Patriarch.

The Most Reverend Cardinal was received by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos and Hagiotaphite Fathers, welcoming him amidst a festal period and a tense situation in Jerusalem.

On this visit the Cardinal addressed His Beatitude, underlining the philanthropic and educational activity of the Order of Knights where He belongs.

Thanking him His Beatitude said that his words is encouraging for the Christian presence in the Holy Land and referred to the contribution of the current Patriarch in Jerusalem, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, former Custos of the Holy Land, to the Christian cooperation and the renovation of the Edicule of the Holy Sepulcher. This cooperation, His Beatitude said, continues to this day in a genuine Ecumenical Spirit and genuine dialogue. Through this cooperation, we face the recent known challenges and pressures by radical extremist elements against the Christians, who are the living stones of the body of Christ, the Church. His Beatitude wished the Cardinal success in his visit and offered him a silver painting of Jerusalem and blessings from Jerusalem to his companions. The Cardinal offered His Beatitude an emblem of the Order of Knights and a precious notebook.

On the afternoon of the same day, the Cardinal had an official entrance to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, according to the existing Status Quo.

From Secretariat-General