BEIT SAHOUR (Agenzia Fides): The Franciscan Custos of the Holy Land reported that on August 27, a new pilgrimage shrine was inaugurated at Shepherds’ Field, in the town of Beit Sahour in the West Bank, where tradition holds the shepherds, who first received the news from the angels of Jesus’ birth in nearby Bethlehem, were watching their flocks.
It was opened by Father Francesco Patton, the custos, accompanied by the promoter, Father Marcelo Ariel Cichinelli, and Father Ibrahim Faltas, vicar of the Custos. Also present was a representative of the Hazboun family of Bethlehem, who financed the construction of the chapel, engineer Nayef Gaby Mauge, and the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities of the Palestinian Authority, Rula Maay’ah, who, in her speech, also highlighted the positive impact of this initiative on the local population in terms of employment and growth prospects of religious tourism in Palestine.
A small sanctuary, called Gloria in Excelsis Deo, is located in the midst of a complex with archaeological excavations. The Pilgrim Centre, is intended to offer future opportunities for spiritual retreats. the foundations of the Chapel of St. Francis of Assisi and St. Anthony of Padua, also called the Palestine Chapel, were blessed.
The overall project also includes the redevelopment of the archaeological area and the construction, in several phases, of 10 national chapels.
