Branciscan (Donasterg MEMORIAL CHURCH OF THE HOLY LAND MOUNT ST. SEPULCHRE, WASHINGTON 17 , D. C OPEN TO VISITORS every day, 8 a. m. to 5 p. m. All are requested to respect the House of God, to refrain from loud talking and from walking about during Divine Service. ORDER OF SERVICES: Sundays and Holy Days: Mass at 6 and 9 a. m. Benediction at 3:30 p. m. Week Days: Mass at 6, 7 and 8 a. m. Tuesdays : Devotions in honor of St. Anthony at 9 a. m. and 8 p. m. Confessions are heard daily on request. A VISIT I® TO THE This leaflet is intended to serve as a guide and brief explanation of the Monastery and its Shrines. More detailed descriptive and historical information will be found in the Guide Book, on (ale at the Monastery entrance. ^ey to Qian of (Jhurch 1 • Sacristy. 2 ‘ Chapel of St. Joseph. 3 • Stairs to Altar of Thabor. 4 • Stone of Anointing. 5 • The Holy Sepulchre. 6 • Center Altar. 7 • Chapel of St. Francis. 8 • Altar of the Holy Ghost. 9 • Exit FROM Bethlehem Grotto. 10 • Lady Chapel. 1 1 • Stairs to Altar of Calvary. 12 • Main Entrance. 13 • Shrine of the Crowning wtth Thorns. 14 • Shrine of the Scourging. 15 • Chapel of St. Anthony. 16 • Altar of the Sacred Heart. 17 • Entrance to Grottoes. [ 2 ] (^he Monastery Surrounding the stately Church is the graceful colonnade of the Rosary Portico. This bit of old Monastic architecture commemo- rates the Fifteen Decades of the Rosary. Tablets of the Lord's Prayer and the Ave Maria, in many ancient and modern lan- guages, are enshrined within the Chapels of the Portico. The building reminiscent of the early Franciscan Missions in California, seen by the visitor before entering the Monastery Garden, is known as the Pilgrimage Hall. At the left of the Church is the quaint stone Chapel of Our Lady of the Angels, a copy of the renowned Portiuncula Shrine near Assisi in Italy, where St. Francis founded the Order which bears his name. Two statues adorn the garden enclosed by the Rosary Portico: one in bronze of St. Francis and the doves, and the other of St. Christopher, Patron of motorists and travelers. Qurpose of the Monastery The Franciscan Monastery is known also as the Commissariat OF THE Holy Land for the United States, which has for its object the preservation and maintenance of the Holy Shrines of Palestine, the support of many Churches, Missions arid schools there and in Egypt, Syria, and Cyprus, and the education of Missionaries for those distant places. To aid this work, there is here established an association called The Crusade for the Holy Land, the members of which contribute 25 cents yearly for the Sacred Places. Further information will be furnished on request. OiTte Church and its Jgfignificance The architecture of the Church is Byzantine, modified to accord with Franciscan simplicity. The ground plan is built on the lines of the Five-fold Cross of the Holy Land, this cm- " blem being carried out in large proportions in the mosaic of the floor. While itself not a copy of any other edifice, within the Church are reproduced a number of the Sacred Shrines of the Holy Land. To these replicas (each designated by a bronze Cross, and marked thus ^ in this booklet) the Holy See has accorded the same Indulgences that may be obtained at the Holy Places in Palestine, whereby one in the state of grace may gain a plenary indulgence, applicable to [ 3 } the faithful departed, by reciting once the Our Father and Han Mary at the shrines so privileged. (Indulgences take the place of the long public penances of the Early Church, and are the remission, not of sins, but of the temporal punishment due to sins after their guilt has been forgiven in the Sacrament of Penance or Confession.) Visit to the (Jhurch The large room at the left of the entrance is the Sacristy (No. I on Pla7i), where the Community assembles in preparation for the ceremonies of the Church. Passing through the door at the left is the Qhapel of @t. O^oseph (2 The Altar here is erected to God in commemoration of St. Joseph, foster-father of the Child Jesus. The statue above the Altar represents the Saint holding the Divine Infant. The bas-reliefs depict the Espousal of the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph, and the Flight of the Holy Family into Egypt. A painting representing the Death of St. Joseph is at the left of the Altar. Votive lamps burn in silent vigil before this and other Shrines of the Church, lights having been used in the Divine Service from earliest times. These memorial lamps, whose varied colors have no significance, may be likened to wreaths placed at the Nation’s historical shrines. PRAYER O God, Who in Thy ineffable Providence didst vouchsafe to choose Blessed Joseph to be the spouse of Thy most holy Mother, grant we beseech Thee that' we may have him for our advocate in Heaven, whom on earth we venerate as our holy protector. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen. Passing from this chapel, a full view of the Church is obtained. At the east (right), occu- pying the place of honor, is the [ 4 ] * Qoly @epulchre (5) This reproduction shows Our Divine Saviour’s Tomb as it is at the present day in Jerusalem, where a little Chapel encloses the rock in which the primi- tive Tomb was hewn. In the vestibule, known as the Chapel of the Angel, is a pedestal containing a stone from Jeru- salem, like that which in the Holy City enshrines a fragment of the stone with which the entrance of the Sacred Tomb was closed. Another low doorway gives access to the sepulchral chamber, a rep- lica of that in which the body of Christ reposed from Good Friday evening until Easter Sunday morning, and which was the scene of His Glorious Resurrection. The Fourteen Stations of the Cross (see “Way of the Cross” on page i6) adorning the walls of the Church are executed in alabaster and mosaic from specially sculptured designs. The small olive-wood cross from Gethsemane at the top of each Sta- tion contains a fragment of stone from the site of the respective Station in Jerusalem. PRAYER Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts, that we to whom the Incarnation of Christ Thy Son was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection. Through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen. (Our Father and Hail Mary for Holy Land Indulgence) Above the Holy Sepulchre is the Qltar of ^habor (3) dedicated to the Mystery of Our Lord’s Transfiguration. The marble Altar is surrounded by a large relief-panel representing that glorious event in Chris*:’s life when He bestowed upon three of His Apostles a glimpse of His celestial glory. PRAYER O God, Who in .the glorious Transfiguration of Thine only-begotten Son, didst signify to man the perfect adoption of sons that was to come: establish us, we beseech Thee, as coheirs with Him Who is the King of Glory. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen. [ 5 ] In front of the Holy Sepulchre is seen the * @tone ofQnointing (4) This is a copy of the Shrine in Jeru- salem which covers the place where the body of Our Lord was anointed and prepared for burial, after the man- ner of the Jews of that period. This facsimile was constructed in Palestine of native marble. (Our Father and Hail Mary for Holy Land Indulgence) Standing majestically beneath the lofty dome of the Church is the (3^enter Qltar (6) At this great Altar, dedicated to the Most Holy Trinity, the Eucharistic Sacrifice of the Mass is offered with solemn liturgy on the festival days of the Church. The lofty canopy over the Altar reminds the visitor of the Papal Altar in St. Peter’s at Rome. Continuing, one arrives at the Qltar of @t. f^rancis of Qssisi (7) St. Francis is esteemed by Catholics and non-Catholics as one of the most lovable characters in history. Mem- bers of the Order of Friars Minor, which he founded in 1209, care for this Monastery. St. Francis estab- lished his Mission of the Holy Land in 1219, since which time the Sacred Places have been entrusted to the guardianship of the Franciscan Order by the Church, who has ever regarded those hallowed spots as her most precious heritage. The statue over the Altar represents the Saint in the embrace of Our Lord Crucified, after a painting by Murillo. The relief panel at the right represents St. Francis blessing Saints Louis of France and Elizabeth of Hungary, royal members of the Third Order of St. Francis; the panel at the left represents the Saint receiving the Stigmata or marks of the Five Wounds of Christ. PRAYER O Lord Jesus Christ, Who when the world grew cold didst renew the sacred marks of Thy Passion in the flesh of the Most Blessed Francis to inflame our hearts with the fire of Thy love, graciously grant that by his merits and prayers we may continually bear the Cross and bring forth worthy fruits of penance. Who livest and reignest forever and ever. Amen. On the right side of the Chapel is a group of statuary, artis- tically carved of wood, representing Our Lord meeting His Blessed Mother as He carried the Cross to Calvary. At the left of the St. Francis Chapel is the ^Itar of the F)oly Qhost (8) The bas-relief panel above this Altar represents the Holy Ghost as a Dove, adored by angels, and surrounded by rays of celestial glory. At the sides are depicted Our Lord sending His Apostles forth to preach the Gospel, and St. Francis of Assisi sending his first disciples on their missions of mercy and evangelization. PRAYER O God, Who hast taught the hearts of Thy Faithful by the light of the F4oly Spirit, grant that we may be truly wise in the same Spirit, and ever rejoice in His consolation. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen. [ 7 ] Continuing to the left we find the XJady (Jhapel (lo) This Altar commemorates the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Immaculate Mother of Our Saviour. The panels represent the Presentation of the Child Mary in the Temple, and her Corona- tion in Heaven by her Divine Son and the Eternal Father. Catholics do not adore the Blessed Virgin, nor any of the Saints. They honor her be- cause Almighty God honored her in choosing her to be the Mother of His Divine Son. “Henceforth all genera- tions shall call me blessed.” (St. Luke L48.) PRAYER O God, Who by the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin didst prepare a worthy dwelling-place for Thy Son, we beseech Thee that as in view of the Death of that Son Thou didst preserve her from all stain of sin, so Thou wouldst enable us, being made pure by her intercession, to come unto Thee. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen. Passing from this Chapel, the visitor comes to the stairway (No. II ) leading up to the Qltar of (Jalvary This marble Altar is a replica of the one which stands over the place where the Cross was set in the sacred rock of Calvary. At the right an opening in the marble indicates the place of a fis- sure caused in the rock by the earth- quake at the time of* Christ’s death on the Cross. The realistic relief-panel depicts in a strik- ing manner the tragic scene of Our Lord’s Crucifixion. On His left, over- shadowed by the approaching darkness, are His enemies; at His right His Blessed Mother, His Disciples, and the Repentant Thief, while the sorrowing Magdalen kneels at the foot of the Cross. In the background is depicted the city of Jerusalem. PRAYER Look down, O Lord, upon this Thy people for which Our Lord Jesus Christ vouchsafed to be delivered into the hands of wicked men and to suffer the agony and death of the Cross. Through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen. (Our Father and Hail Mary for Holy Land Indulgence) Descending the stairway, two small Shrines beneath this Sanc- tuary are visited. The one at the left on entering is the @hrine of the @courging (14) where a statue touchingly represents Our Blessed Lord after His cruel scourging. The one on the opposite side is the (Jhapel of @t. Qnthony (15) This Saint, through his innocence of life and his great love of God and man, brought, back many erring souls to Christ. God saw fit to adorn him even in life with the gift of miracles. The statue represents the Saint em- bracing the Infant Jesus Who once appeared to him while at prayer. The panel at the left of the Altar depicts the Saint healing the sick, while the one on the right shows him giving bread to the poor, of whom he was [ 9 ] Coronation @hrine (13) The statue here portrays Our Lord after His sacred brow was torn by the Crown of Thorns. Comina aa;iin tn thp n;?vp and continuing to the right we see the ever a special friend. PRAYER O God, grant that the votive commemo- ration of Blessed An- thony, Thy Confessor, may be a source of joy to Thy Church, that ever fortified with spiritual assistance, she may deserve to possess eternal joy. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen. @acred Qeart QltaF- (i6) This is dedicated to the veneration of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, regarded as the symbol of Our Divine Lord’s love for mankind. Above the Altar, Christ is represented enthroned as the “King and Center of All Hearts,” adored by Saints Francis and Clare of Assisi. The panel depicts also the conversion of the unbelieving Thomas upon seeing the Wounds of the Risen Saviour; and a nobleman venerating the Stigmata of the Wounds of St. Francis. PRAYER O Almighty and Eternal God, look upon the Heart of Thy dearly beloved Son and upon the praise and satisfaction He offers Thee in the name of sinners and for those who seek Thy mercy; be Thou appeased and grant us pardon in the Name of the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who livest and reignest with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, world without end. Amen. In front of this Altar is the entrance to the Grottoes (No. 17), the broad stairway leading down to the Adjacent to this Chapel is the * 0[rotto of Qaziareth This is a reproduction of the Shrine of the Annunciation, as it is today in the little village of Nazareth in Galilee. In the [ 10 ] first part are two Altars, while that in the center is a replica of the Altar of the Annunciation, which com- memorates the place where God’s Messenger announced to the Mary that she was to be the of the Redeemer of the World. In the circle beneath the Altar is a stone from Nazareth. PRAYER “THE AVE MARIA” Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is *vith thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen. (See St. Luke 1:28, 42, 45.) (Our Father and Hail Mary for Holy Land Indulgence) Suspended from the ceiling at the left of the Sanctuary is a copy of a broken column, the original of which, still embedded in the masonry of the roof, was partially destroyed by looting tribesmen. The doorway at the right of the Altar leads into a small Chapel dedicated to St. Joseph. Retracing a few steps, we come to a narrow door at the right of the broad stairway leading to from which the visitor may form an accurate idea of those in Rome. It was in these subterranean passages that the Divine Services were celebrated during the ages of persecution, as is evi- dent from the numerous altars found there today. There, too, in niches like those seen here, millions of Christian dead were buried. The Catacombs of ancient Rome, the combined length of which is estimated to be 600 to 900 miles, are an enduring monument to the continuity of the Church’s teachings and faith in “Jesus Christ, yesterday, and today, and the same forever.” (Hebrews XIII : 8 .) The passageway leads on to a small circular Chapel, called [ 11 ] Angelic Virgin Mother ©he ^Qartyr’s Qrypt This resembles numerous chapels found in tlie Catacombs, where an- cient Altars were erected over the relics of the Martyrs. Beneath this Altar repose the remains of St. Benig- nus, a Roman Martyr, formerly buried in the Catacombs of the Eternal City, and now enshrined in the wax figure here. The monograms and symbols of the Church’s doctrines are copied from the original frescoes in the Roman Catacombs. The Catacombs lead to the Qurgatory (Jhapel In this Memorial Chapel of All Souls the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is offered to God in behalf of the Faithful Departed. The paintings, decorations, and other characteristics of the Chapel are remindful of death and resurrection, and of those detained in “Heaven’s vestibule.” ANCIENT PRAYER FROM THE CANON OF THE MASS Be mindful, O Lord, of Thy servants who are gone before us with the Sign of Faith and who sleep in the sleep of peace. To these, O Lord, and to all that rest in Christ, we beseech Thee grant a place of refreshment, light and peace. Through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen. Catacomb Chapels Behind the Altar is a continuation of the Catacombs, where mural paint- ings in the stair- ways on either side of the passage rep- [ 12 ] resent Martyrs consigned to beasts in the arena. Be- yond a narrow pas- sageway are two larger Catacomb chapels. That at the left on entering is dedi- cated to St. Ce- cilia, Virgin- Martyr. The statue beneath the Altar is a copy of one by Maderno, representing the Saint’s body as it was found incorrupt many years after her martyrdom. The chapel opposite is dedicated to St. Sebastian, Soldier-Martyr. The figure here is a copy of Bernini’s statue in the Church of St. Sebastian on the Appian Way near Rome, where the Saint shed his blood for his faith. Returning through the Purgatory Chapel and the Martyr’s Crypt, a short portion of Catacombs at the right leads into * ^he 0(rotto of @ethlehem This Shrine is a faithful copy of the Grotto of the Nativity as it is at the present day in Bethlehem. In the arched recess between the two stair- ways is a copy of the ^ Altar of the Nativity, beneath which is a facsimile of the silver star commemorating the place where the Saviour came into the world as a little Child born in a poor stable-cave, nineteen centuries ago. At the right is the ^ Place of the Manger, where the Holy Child was placed by His Virgin Mother on the First Christmas. 4