"Friars Minor toward mercy and forgiveness” is the theme of the Chapter of the Custody of the Holy Land. The meetings, which will take place in Jerusalem, will be held from July 4th, arrival date of the Capitular Fathers, through July 16th. The Province of the Holy Land includes Israel and Palestine, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon, Cyprus and Rhodes as well as some monasteries in Egypt, Italy, United States and Argentina. During the morning of July 5, the first celebration was held in the Basilica of Gethsemane: this was also an opportunity for the priests of the Custody to pass through the Holy Door of Mercy. The Mass was presided by the General Visitor, Fr. Jakab Várnai, along with the Custos of the Holy Land, Father Francesco Patton, the Vicar of the Custody, Father Dobromir Jasztal and all the Capitular Priests (Priests participating in the Chapter). In his homily, Father Varnai spoke of the two doors of Mercy in Jerusalem, the Golden Gate at the walls, which is closed, and that of the basilica, open to everyone. He also recalled that Gethsemane is the place of the great prayer of Jesus. Invoking then the Holy Spirit, he invited them to walk through the road that leads to the Holy City all the way to the St. Savior Monastery. Fr. JAKAB VÁRNAI, ofm General Visitor of the Custody of the Holy Land "Invoking the Holy Spirit does not mean that we have a project and we ask the Holy Spirit for a little help in what we are planning to do; in truth, invoking the Holy Spirit is confessing that the project of the Holy Spirit is greater than our hearts and we want to be part of this project. All that the Holy Spirit is doing in the Holy Land is really greater than what we friars can do and we want to be at the service of this divine will." Fr. FRANCESCO PATTON, ofm Custos of the Holy Land “During the Chapter, therefore, the friars talk to each other, because it is obvious that, in order to make choices, there must be a debate; there must be, in Christian terms, the submission to the Spirit. We start singing the ‘Veni Creator’ and we invoke the presence of the Holy Spirit." Workshops will be held in the Hall of the Immaculate, in the St. Savior Monastery, after days of intense preparation for this event by the secretarial office. Fr. DONACIANO PARADES, ofm Chapter Secretary "46 friars are participating in the Chapter. Among these, there are the Capitular Fathers and three guests. The other friars came from places where the Custody of the Holy Land is present." Fr. JAKAB VÁRNAI, ofm General Visitor of the Custody of the Holy Land "I want to take this opportunity to ask all the viewers around the world to be with us in prayer during these two weeks, so the Franciscan friars in the Holy Land will truly find the light of the Holy Spirit for a fruitful service to the Church and to the people here. " Fr. FRANCESCO PATTON, ofm Custos of the Holy Land "We ask all those who fondly follow the Holy Land, to pray for the friars who will be gathered in the Chapter."