With the Feast of the Epiphany celebrated in Bethlehem, the Christmas celebrations of Catholics in the Holy Land come to a close. Br FRANCESCO PATTON, ofm Custos of the Holy Land "The signs of God's manifestation in this Epiphany, here in Bethlehem, in such a difficult year, may be difficult to see, but they are there. I think of the many gestures of solidarity that have taken place both within the parish of Bethlehem itself and in the other parishes towards the Christian community of Bethlehem. They have not shared gold, frankincense and myrrh, but economic help. They have shared material goods, basic necessities. They have also shared an interest in that part of the community that is in difficulty also from the economic point of view." In keeping with tradition, January 5 was the day of the solemn entrance of the Custos of the Holy Land, followed by the recitation of Vespers. On January 6, the Epiphany Mass. Br FRANCESCO PATTON, ofm Custos of the Holy Land "On the Solemnity of the Epiphany, the quest of all men and women, of all times, finds its goal before the Manger, before the Child Jesus. And on the Solemnity of the Epiphany, humanity's journey in search of God meets God's journey in search of each and every one of us." After the second Vespers, one of the most popular moments of the feast: the procession to the Grotto of the Nativity and the return with the statue of Jesus on the throne. During the procession, the faithful received drops of myrrh and grains of incense as gifts. Br FRANCESCO PATTON, ofm Custos of the Holy Land "What is the best way to celebrate the Solemnity of the Epiphany? It is to remember that in the Child Jesus each one of us has received an extraordinary dignity. The Child Jesus does not ask us to be welcomed in a beautiful sculpture, but he asks us to be welcomed in every person we meet."