Jubilee Year of Mercy pilgrimage takes Equestrian Order through St. Jude Maronite Parish's Holy Door

Friday, Nov. 04, 2016

By Dora LaVoie

Special to the Intermountain Catholic

Members of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem (EOHSJ) processed through the Holy Door of Mercy at St. Jude Maronite Church in Murray on Oct. 15.  

“The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem’s is the only lay institution of the Vatican State charged with the task of providing for the needs of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and for all the activities and initiatives which are necessary to support the Christian presence in the Holy Land,” according to the order’s website, http://holysepulchre.net.

St. Jude is a Maronite parish of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon, headquartered in Saint Louis, MO. St. Jude was declared a pilgrimage site for the Year of Mercy and the Holy Door was opened on Dec. 13, 2015, along with others throughout the world.

Eighteen EOHSJ members, in their robes, processed from the parish hall through the Holy Door to attend the Oct. 15 Vigil Mass. Father Joubran BouMerhi, pastor of St. Jude, welcomed the members. Throughout the Mass he explained those parts that differ in the Maronite Rite from the Roman Rite. Some of the major differences are: most of the Mass is sung/chanted; the sign of peace is passed from the priest at the altar to the deacon and then to the congregation; consecration is said in Aramaic, the language Jesus spoke at the Last Supper; and communion is by intinction (the holy body is dipped into the Precious Blood and placed on the communicant’s tongue.)

Following Mass, Fr. Joubran and parish members hosted a dinner for the members of the order.

Throughout the Western Lieutenancy of the Equestrian Order, each area has been asked to observe the Year of Mercy not only by participating in a Holy Door pilgrimage but also by having interfaith dialogues about what mercy means to the different religious groups. In Utah, the EOHSJ sponsored an interfaith panel discussion during the Sept. 17 Diocesan Pastoral Congress at the Skaggs Catholic Center, during which members from the different religious communities spoke about the components of mercy within their respective religions. 

The EOHSJ members also were asked to submit articles of reflection about receiving or giving mercy in connection with the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. An article written by one of our members, Marie Nelson, was submitted to the Western Lieutenancy to be included in the monthly newsletter.