"A boom of pilgrims in the Holy Land. What we are about to celebrate will be the most crowded Easter since the burst of the second Intifada in September 2000". These are the words of father Athanasius Macora, director of the Franciscan pilgrims office, the body of the Custody of the Holy Land that helps pilgrims book celebrations in the Holy Places. "From the huge number of requests for Mass states the director to SIR we estimate that over 25 thousand pilgrims are crowding Jerusalem already, and many more will come for the Holy Week. The hotels are fully booked up and many pilgrims, as far as we know, sleep in nearby Bethlehem. Even now, people have to queue up to visit such holy places as the Sepulchre and the Calvary. And, from next Friday the Orthodox too should be coming for their Easter, which coincides with Sunday 23rd April. The place is small but pilgrims are happy to be here and a widespread atmosphere of prayer can already be felt around". (to be continued)
