By AMECEA Online News Reporter
51 Catholic Priests in the country organized a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, as part of the Jubilee celebrations of 100 years since the first indigenious priest was ordained in the Tanzanian Mainland.
The Priests were also joined by religious nuns and Lay people making a total of 90 people from 15 dioceses. The pilgrimage intended to take them into three countries (Egypt, Jordan and Israel). A pilgrimage that intended to follow the Exodus route of the Israelites to the Promised Land.
The group was led by Rt Rev Bernadini Mfumbusa Bishop of Kondoa who was among the 20 Priests who are celebrating their silver Jubilee of priesthood this year.
The pilgrims, who arrived in Egypt on 9 April 2017, were able to visit the Church of the Holy Family where according to the tradition Jesus, the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph, lived for 3 years as refugees following the threat of King Herod who wanted to kill Baby Jesus.
While in Egypt the pilgrims were able to share some information with Christians of Coptic denomination regarding situation as it turns to be suffering/persecuted Church in our modern era. Pilgrims were able to visit the pyramids of Giza in Cairo which is an expression of Jewish suffering during their slavery in Egypt.
The group of pilgrims made their second stop at Mount Sinai where they climbed Mount Sinai while also visiting the Monastery of St. Catherine. Tradition provides that St. Catherine Monastery is a place where Moses was able to witness the burning bush. Along the way they also stopped at Red Sea, the place where, according to tradition God brought the Israelites through the Red Sea while also punishing the Egyptians.
In Jordan the pilgrims were able to visit the historical city of Petra before seeing Mount Nebo where Moses was shown, according to the Scriptures the Holy Land,
In Israel the pilgrims camped in the small town of Bethlehem, where Christ was born. This was the third stop where pilgrims were able to visit all the historical sites of Jesus.
According to one of the pilgrims the most exciting moment was the visit of the Tomb of Jesus for that all the time it had a very long cue where they had to wait for two to three hours before reaching the grave. “The environment really makes you recall all the passion narrative,” said one of the pilgrims.
Pilgrims were lucky to celebrate Holy Mass at the Mountain of Beatitudes (Mat 5: 1-12) and some of the pilgrims had also the opportunity to repeat their marriage promises at Cana-the place where Jesus made his first miracle.
The last day before returning home the pilgrims were able to visit Mount Zion, where it is believed that the first temple was built. The temple is not currently available instead there is a Mosque known as ‘Dome of the Rock’. Jews gather beside the remaining wall of the square of the Temple according to their Jewish tradition.
Speaking after the pilgrimage trip Bishop Mfumbusa said that it would be a good thing if similar trip of pilgrimage journey could be organized in future, for other Priests so that the pilgrimage becomes also an opportunity to reconcile what they have learnt in class with the sites they are visiting.