This was the moment that more than 3,600 knights and dames of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre met with the Pope. These were the words that Pope Leo XIV addressed to them:
POPE LEO XIV
In fact, you were born to guard the Holy Sepulchre, to care for the pilgrims, and to support the Church of Jerusalem; even today you do so with the humility, dedication, and spirit of sacrifice that characterize chivalric orders.
The purpose of this Order is none other than to support and strengthen the Christian presence in the Holy Land, especially around the Holy Places connected to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It's a mission that, as its members told us, is always deeply fulfilling.
GIUSEPPE PIROZZI
Knight of the Holy Sepulchre
I had to hold back tears… It gave me great strength, just like with Cardinal Filoni, during the previous Mass we had these past days… to continue my service to everyone, especially to the less fortunate… very moving.
Just look at what happened during that meeting with Pope Leo…
Ainsley and Emery came to Rome from Louisiana, U.S., to take part in the Jubilee and receive the plenary indulgence. From the heart of Christendom, they take with them the words of the Pontiff and a very special gift…
AINSLEY AND EMERY
Dame of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre and Jubilee pilgrim
She’s trying to show you the rosary; he gave her a beautiful rosary, and this is the rosary he gave. He handed it to her in a small, pretty pouch, right?
It was a historic day for all these knights and dames, which concluded with the celebration of a Mass presided over by Cardinal Fernando Filoni, Grand Master of the Order, beneath Bernini’s magnificent baroque baldachin.
ÁNGELES BORREGO
DAME OF THE ORDER OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE
More importantly, celebrating the Eucharist with Cardinal Filoni, our Grand Master, together with archbishops, knights, and dames from all over the world, is truly moving and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
And so ended the Jubilee of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem; a gathering held in the Italian capital to bring together the members of an order that makes a better future possible in the Holy Land.
AT
Trans. CRT
