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Rome Pilgrimage 2015
(continued)
After that speech, his Excellency Bishop Athanasios Canepa,
Bishop of all France, from the French Coptic Orthodox
Church prepared Himself to celebrate the Holy Coptic
Liturgy as programmed. It was the first time that a Coptic
Bishop was inviting all of us to his Mass. It was also the
first time that Bishop Athanasios joined our pilgrimages
and he was delighted to be with us to contribute in our
efforts towards Unity. He told Vassula, not long ago, that
the Messages of Christ had touched him enormously; that
he had read a good part of them and that he believes what
Jesus asks from His shepherds. Having been so touched
by the Spirit, he wanted to contribute through whatever
means he could so as to progress the Unity that Christ was
calling His Church to achieve. We thank God for giving
us warriors of faith. This calling was also in the Message
that Christ gave to us in Rome for the pilgrims. Christ
was asking us to become warriors of faith; not to fear, but
to walk forward into uniting. In other words, Christ is
reminding us in this End of Times that we are indeed in a
spiritual battle, that we would face
harsh opposition and persecution,
but that we must remain in Him
and be strong and fearless when
these persecutions come our way.
After the speeches, there was not
one moment to lose. The buses were
waiting to drive all the pilgrims to
visit the Santa Scala, the Holy Stairs
on which Jesus climbed to reach
His trial by Pontius Pilate. Pilgrims
from all over the world climb each
step on their knees in prayer. The
holy staircase is covered by wood and people could see only
parts of the original ones through small glass slits that seemed
to be out of marble.
As theBasilica di SantaCroce inGerusalemmewas not far, the
pilgrims walked over to that Basilica. This Basilica was built
into part of the Imperial Palace of the Empress St. Helen. We
T L I G M A G A Z I N E I S S U E - 3 1
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Bishop Lesanu-Christos Matheos with
Bishop Markos GebremedhinWoldesenbet
Clergy attending Bishop Athanasios Canepa’s speech
Bishop Athanasios Canepa
Bishop Athanasius Canepa with Fr. Vincent Cosatti