- Title: JERUSALEM: HOLY LAND: LATIN PATRIARCH LEADS CHRISTMAS PILGRIMAGE TO BETHLEHEM.
- Date: 26th December 1969
- Summary: JERUSALEM; PATRIARCH INTO CAR; MOTORCADE THROUGH JERUSALEM AND APPROACHING BETHLEHEM; PATRIARCH LEADS PROCESSION TO CHURCH OF NATIVITY(NATSOF). Initials AH/VS/BOB/PF Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 10th January 1970 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: JERUSALEM AND BETHLEHEM, HOLY LAND
- City:
- Country: Israel
- Reuters ID: LVAEZJCOTBBHGE2MQ0N3B27XFOAQ
- Story Text: THOUSANDS OF PILGRIMS HAVE BEEN POURING INTO THE HOLY LAND TO CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF CHRIST IN BETHLEHEM. THE LATIN PATRIARCH OF JERUSALEM, ARCHBISHOP ALBERTO GORI, LED A MOTORCADE FROM THE OLD CITY OF JERUSALEM TO BETHLEHEM ON CHRISTMAS EVE (WEDNESDAY) - RETRACING THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE THREE KINGS WHO FOLLOWED THE STAR TO BETHLEHEM TO SEEK THE INFANT CHRIST.
HIGHLIGHT OF THE PROCESSION WAS THE SOLEMN ENTRY OF THE OCTOGENARIAN PATRIARCH INTO THE JUDEAN HILLTOP TOWN OF BETHLEHEM - AN ENTRY ACCOMPANIED BY THE SOUND OF BELLS AND THE STRAINS OF "COME ALL YE FAITHFUL".
THE PATRIARCH ARRIVED FLANKED BY FIVE ISRAELI MOUNTED POLICE BEARING LANCES AND PENNANTS. AND THE TOWN WAS HEAVILY GUARDED BY TROOPS AS THE AUTHORITIES, RESPONSIBLE FOR THE THIRD CHRISTMAS CELEBRATED UNDER ISRAELI CONTROL SINCE THE SIX-DAY WAR, GUARDED AGAINST POSSIBLE ARAB GUERILLA ATTEMPTS TO DISRUPT THE CEREMONIES.
ACCOMPANIED BY THE ISRAELI MILITARY GOVERNOR AND THE ARAB MAYOR OF BETHLEHEM, THE PATRIARCH MADE HIS WAY TO THE ANCIENT FORTRESS-LIKE CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY, WHERE HE CONDUCTED A SERIES OF SERVICES UNTIL THE MIDNIGHT HIGH MASS CLIMAXED THE CELEBRATIONS.
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