{"id":357918,"date":"2022-03-08T13:35:59","date_gmt":"2022-03-08T11:35:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/basilica.ro\/?p=357918"},"modified":"2022-03-08T13:35:59","modified_gmt":"2022-03-08T11:35:59","slug":"holy-land-welcomes-first-romanian-pilgrims-after-two-year-hiatus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/basilica.ro\/en\/holy-land-welcomes-first-romanian-pilgrims-after-two-year-hiatus\/","title":{"rendered":"Holy Land welcomes first Romanian pilgrims after two-year hiatus"},"content":{"rendered":"

After a two-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, Israel welcomed its first Romanian pilgrims on March 1.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The first pilgrimage to the holy sites in Jerusalem was organized by the Romanian Patriarchate\u2019s Basilica Travel Agency.<\/p>\n

Romanian pilgrims visited the Monastery of Saint George of Choziba, where the relics of St. John Jacob of Neam\u0163 are kept. They also went to the Jordan River and saw the biblical city of Jericho.<\/p>\n

The itinerary included the Romanian Settlement in Jerusalem, where pilgrims met with Archimandrite Teofil An\u0103st\u0103soaie, Superior of the Romanian Settlements in the Holy Land.<\/p>\n

On Sunday, Pilgrims attended the Divine Liturgy celebrated at the Romanian Settlement in Jerusalem by Archim. Teofil An\u0103st\u0103soaie.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe, at the Representation of the Romanian Patriarchate in Jerusalem, the monks and nuns who are on a mission here, welcomed them with all our joy. We embraced them and especially told them that during the two years of waiting, the candle of Romanian prayer has not been extinguished in the city of Jerusalem.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI constantly prayed, asking God to have mercy on the whole world and especially on the Romanian people,\u201d Fr Teofil told Basilica.ro.<\/p>\n