High Mass in Isifiya

Reposting Sunday's blog with photos...

Today I went to the High Mass in Arabic in the church right next to the Fallouns' house. It was mostly sung, led by a strong 15-voice choir. The priest wore a gold brocade alb (and a lapel mike) and swung lots of incense. There were three processions with candles and a white flag, the first with the jewel-encrusted Bible, the second with the elements, the third with icons.






The prayers and responses were in formal Arabic, and the homily in colloquial Arabic. I could not understand much of either, but I felt God's presence. The Eucharist was given by intinction, with most older men served first, followed  by women, children, and younger men. Two men held a silk cloth in front of the chalice to catch any drops or crumbs. Many women received the elements bareheaded, but others borrowed a white or  black lace head covering. I asked the priest after the Mass why all 12 of the apostles depicted above the altar had saintly halos because  Judas betrayed Jesus. He told me he had painted the icons himself and put St. Paul in instead of Judas.

My soul was also restored by a visit to the Bah'ai gardens in Haifa.

Part of Bah'ai Gardens

 Labeb's brother Adeed told me that he shares Elias's loyalty to Israel. He admits that Arabs in the West Bank are having "difficulties," but feels that is not his problem. The plight of the Palestinians was reaffirmed for me when this afternoon we drove past the nearby Danon Prison, which Elias told me houses Palestinians, even though under international law they are not supposed to be removed from the West Bank to Israel.

Danon Prison near Isifiya

Elias told me that Isifiya's  population of about 7,000 Druze, 2,000 Christians, 1,000 Muslims, and 500 Jews gets along just fine. Too bad we can't export that peaceful coexistence.