On the morning of Sunday, June 8, the Franciscan friars of the Custody of the Holy Land gathered at the Cenacle on Mount Zion to celebrate the feast of Pentecost.
This solemnity commemorates the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, which Jesus bestowed upon His disciples gathered in the Cenacle, fifty days after Easter.

The Custos of the Holy Land, Fr. Francesco Patton, presided over the Pentecost Vigil on Saturday night at the Church of Saint Saviour, and the Sunday Mass at the Cenacle.

The Vigil of the Feast

The Pentecost Vigil liturgy mirrors that of the Easter Vigil, highlighting the deep connection between the two solemnities. On this day, Christ’s promise is fulfilled: the gift of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Church.

The celebration began with a rich Liturgy of the Word, consisting of four readings, each accompanied by a psalm. The biblical journey moved from the scattering at Babel (Gen 11:1–9) to the revelation of God on Mount Sinai (Ex 19:3–8a, 16–20b). This was followed by the prophetic vision of the “valley of dry bones” in Ezekiel (Ez 37:1–14), brought to life by the breath of the Spirit, and Joel’s prophecy of the Spirit’s outpouring upon all humanity (Joel 3:1–5).

In his homily, the Custos invited all present to follow the example of the prophet Ezekiel in invoking and welcoming the Spirit of God:
“Like Ezekiel, we must stand amid this cemetery that the world has become, and trust in God. We are called to keep our hearts stubbornly free from feelings of anger, resentment, hatred, and the thirst for revenge, so that at least one corner of our heart remains open to compassion, reconciliation, and forgiveness—that is, to the love that heals and brings resurrection.”

The Spirit Who Gives Life

The Sunday Mass at the Cenacle was celebrated in private, with only a small group of faithful in attendance. The Gospel reading from John, proclaimed during the celebration, is set in this very place, where Jesus, during the Last Supper, promised His disciples the gift of the Spirit.

“The gift of the Holy Spirit,” the Custos emphasized, “makes us alive, makes us children and brothers, and makes us a dwelling place of God. […] The Spirit thus transforms human coexistence into an experience of fraternity and guides us to understand the way of peace.”

Second Vespers

In the afternoon, the friars gathered once again at the Cenacle to celebrate Second Vespers, marking the conclusion of the Pentecost solemnity and the Easter season. During the entrance procession and the singing of the Magnificat, incense was offered in the room adjacent to the traditional site of the Last Supper—where, according to tradition, the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles and upon Mary as they were gathered in prayer.