Archbishop Broglio Completes Pilgrimage to Holy Land

November 30, 2013

Group of pilgrims from the Archdiocese for the Military Services ends tour of Israel and Palestine in Jerusalem

Archbishop Timothy Broglio with the Most Reverend Gieseppe Lazzarotto, Apostolic Nuncio to Israel and Apostolic Delegate to Jerusalem and Palestine, Nov. 28, in Jerusalem.

Archbishop Timothy Broglio with the Most Reverend Gieseppe Lazzarotto, Apostolic Nuncio to Israel and Apostolic Delegate to Jerusalem and Palestine, Nov. 28, in Jerusalem.

JERUSALEM—His Excellency, the Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio, J.C.D., Archbishop for the Military Services, celebrated completion of a week-long pilgrimage to the Holy Land on Thursday night. In Jerusalem, he joined the Most Reverend Gieseppe Lazzarotto, J.C.D., Apostolic Nuncio to Israel and Apostolic Delegate to Jerusalem and Palestine, for a farewell dinner. More than 30 fellow pilgrims from the Archdiocese for the Military Services (AMS), including nearly a dozen priests, joined Archbishops Broglio and Lazzarotto for the dinner at the Notre Dame Guest House just outside the New Gate to the Old City.

Earlier Thursday, Archbishop Broglio led pilgrims along the Via Dolorosa, the route where Jesus carried His cross on the way to the Crucifixion. They recited the stations of the cross along the way. Later, the Archbishop celebrated Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, site of the Crucifixion and the Resurrection.

The events on Thursday culminated a six-day schedule during which the entourage visited holy sites throughout Israel and Palestine, including Bethlehem, Nazareth, Jericho, the River Jordan, Capernaum, Magdala, the Mount of Olives and the Garden of Gethsemane, and they rode a boat on the Sea of Galilee. While traveling, the pilgrims said prayers and sang hymns. Archbishop Broglio celebrated daily Mass at historic churches along the way, with Auxiliary Bishop Neal J. Buckon and other priests concelebrating.

The pilgrimage was timed to coincide with the close of the Year of Faith, the 13-month period declared by Pope Benedict XVI to summon Catholics the world over to conversion and a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. The Oct. 11, 2012-Nov. 24, 2013 Year of Faith ended on Sunday, Nov. 24.

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The Archdiocese for the Military Services (AMS) was created as an independent archdiocese by Pope John Paul II in 1985 as the only Catholic jurisdiction responsible for endorsing and granting faculties for priests to serve as chaplains in the U.S. military and VA Medical Centers.
AMS-endorsed priests serve at more than 220 U.S. military installations in 29 countries, making the AMS the nation’s only global archdiocese. AMS-endorsed priests also serve at 153 VA Medical Centers throughout the U.S.
The AMS service population also includes American Catholic civilians working for the federal government in 134 countries, but currently, due to limited resources, the AMS cannot adequately serve this population.

Worldwide, an estimated 1.8 million Catholics depend on the AMS to meet their spiritual and sacramental needs.

For more information on the Archdiocese for the Military Services, visit www.milarch.org, the only official website for Catholics in the military and for the Cause of Father Vincent Capodanno, MM
Contact: Taylor Henry
(202) 719-3643