December 14, 2003 - the 3rd Sunday of Advent
Bishop George Haddad visits the Melkite Church in Zababdeh.
We slept a little later, put on our best duds, and made our way to the Melkite Church. George Haddad, the new Bishop of Haifa, came for the first time today. Lots of nice vestments and the Melkite community turned out for his appearance, as did the Latin sisters, priest, and council and orthodox priest as the service took place later in the morning to accommodate the Bishop's schedule. In the Eastern tradition, it was a long, nice service, followed by coffee on the newly cemented grounds. Fr. Firas poured the cement in honor of the Bishop's visit (a small step towards replacing the winter muds that currently surround the church) and in hopeful anticipation that funds would soon arrive to pay for it.
We then went off for our third msakhan lunch in a row at Fr. Firas's parent's home. Firas' mother told us that she made it especially for us, because she knows how much we like it. True, but now that we've completed our trifecta, there's no need for more.
An Israeli tank awaits us on our visit to the nearby Haddad family compound.
While we were drinking our post-meal coffee, Elizabeth's mom called the cellphone to ask if we'd heard the news. Saddam's been captured. Still on the phone, Elizabeth stuck her head back into the sitting room and announced in Arabic, "samakuu saddam." Which kinda means "Saddam's fish." She corrected herself ("masakuu saddam"), but she still took some ribbing for the slip, including from her loving husband. No one had heard the news, and some went to the other room to turn on Al-Jazeera.
A welcome reception for Bishop George and the visiting clergy in the Haddad family home.
Marthame joined the clergy as they made their way towards the Haddad household. Living in a lovely compound on the outskirts of Jenin, the Haddad family is a well-to-do family that's family business is smithing (Haddad means "Smith"). They worship at the Latin Church in Jenin, but they are Melkites by history. It was the first time in several decades that a bishop from their church had visited them, not since the death of their cousin who had changed the scoring of Arabic liturgical music from a Western left-to-right to the more Eastern right-to-left. Fr. Firas has performed three baptisms for them this year, and the family has clearly appreciated his ministry and presence in the area.
Two of the many young people involved in the Latin Church Bazaar this year.
The Latin Church Christmas Bazaar is a big draw every year.
On the way to visit them, two tanks stood in our way. A three car procession (one Israeli-plated, one Palestinian-plated, and one with diplomatic plates) of clergy drew attention, but thankfully not fire, from the soldiers. They were kind enough to raise the tank turret so that we could pass under and let us through coming and going.
In the evening, we stopped by to visit the Latin Church Bazaar, run by the youth group to raise funds for their annual activities.