Feast of Our Lady Woman of Valor in Tel Aviv

Hundreds of faithful and a large group of religious from all over the Holy Land gathered in the church of the pastoral center in south Tel Aviv to celebrate this feast, which fell this year on the same day as the celebration of Our Lady of Fatima. At the beginning of the mass, Father David, Latin Patriarchal Vicar welcomed all those who had come, the faithful, the religious, the delegation from the Filipino Embassy, Latin Patriarchal Vicar Bishop Boulos Marcuzzo and the Nuncio, reminding all that the Holy Father is visiting Fatima to mark the centenary since the visions of Our Lady there.

The mass in Tel Aviv was a joyful outpouring of thanks for Mary and her role in the life of the faithful in south Tel Aviv. The Nuncio focused on the theme of rejoicing with Mary in the Easter period. The mass was accompanied by music and singing from all the various communities that call the pastoral center home, the Filipinos, the Indians, the Sri Lankans and the Ge’ez rite community. The readings and the prayers of the faithful were in a variety of languages, including Hebrew and Arabic.

The mass was followed by a sumptuous reception, each corner of the courtyard offering the food of the various communities – Filipino, Indian, Sri Lankan and Eritrean cuisine.