On Saturday, April 6, 2024 His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, presided at a Holy Mass of blessing for the new Domus Bethany building in Jerusalem, which is a center for biblical studies and archaeology. The studies focus on visiting the Holy Places where the events in the Bible took place, to learn more about their spiritual, and geographical significance.

Mgr. Rafiq Nahra, Patriarchal Vicar of the Galilee, Mgr. Boulos Marcuzzo, Fr. Francesco, President of the Center, and nearly 600 local priests and from Northern Europe, as well as several faithful, and the teachers of the seminarists in the various Neocatechumenal Way Catholic formation seminaries, were also present.

At the start, Fr. Francesco welcomed all the attendees. Then, Mr. Kiko, the founder of the Neocatechumenal Movement, gave a speech in which he expressed his joy to be in the Holy Land, and for the establishment of this new center in Jerusalem. 

Afterwards, Cardinal Pizzaballa blessed the Holy water and sprinkled all the participants.

In his homily, Card. Pizzaballa, emphasized the need to meditate and study the Bible in the Holy Land because it gives a deep and true understanding of the mysteries of salvation, and helps the believer, especially the priest, to build a strong and solid relationship with Christ, who incarnated, suffered, and rose in this Holy Land. 

In the end, all present made their way to the center where the Blessing prayer and sprinkling of the Holy water took place.