On Sunday, May 31, in the church of San Salvatore in Jerusalem, the heart of the Custody of the Holy Land, the Eucharistic celebration took place with the rite of institution of the ministries of Lectorate and Acolytate for a group of student friars of the International Franciscan Seminary.

The celebration, coinciding with the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, was presided over by the Custos of the Holy Land, Fr. Francesco Ielpo, in the presence of numerous brother priests, who gathered to spiritually accompany the candidates. Among them were also the formators of the two houses of formation in Jerusalem and Ain Karem, together with some Discreets of the Holy Land. In the atmosphere of prayer and fraternity that characterized the liturgy, several friars from various parts of the world were instituted into the ministries, a concrete sign of the universality of the Church and the richness of the Franciscan fraternity. The significant number of candidates and the variety of their countries of origin represent a sign of hope for the future of the Custody and for the mission of the universal Church.

In his homily, Fr. Francesco Ielpo emphasized the specificity and spiritual value of the ministries of lectorate and acolytate. They, he recalled, are not only a liturgical service, but a journey of interior configuration: the lector is called to enter ever more deeply into the Word of God, while the acolyte is invited to live a growing intimacy with the Mystery of the Eucharist. Both ministries lead the friar to a deeper relationship with the mystery of the Most Holy Trinity, source and summit of Christian life.

The celebration thus shaped up as a significant moment in the formation journey of the young friars, marking an important stage toward ordained ministry and strengthening their commitment to the life of faith, fraternity, and service to the Church.

"There are different ministries, but only one Lord" (1 Cor 12,5): the words of the Apostle Paul, also recalled in the event poster, found full expression in this liturgy, which united in the diversity of gifts the single call to the service of the Gospel in the Holy Places and in the world.