Scottish Catholic Observer

THE Scottish National Year of Faith Pilgrimage to the Holy Land got off to a flying start today (Monday Oct 7 2013). Pilgrims, bused to Manchester Airport from St Andrew’s Cathedral Glasgow, in the early hours of the morning on two blue and yellow coaches with former Lord Provost of Glasgow Alex Mosson, heard we had been granted an audience with the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem.

As fair Scotland turned to raining England, a quick service station stop allowed a late running passenger to transfer to the correct coach. Traffic outside Manchester resulted in a few Hail Marys due to a later than expected arrival and a dramatic dash to baggage drop and the flight gate but everyone made it onto the plane and we were off.

Arriving in the southern international airport of Tel Aviv as dusk fell there was just time to register the heat and breeze before boarding the next coach to the port town of Haifa (above) for a late dinner and a good night’s sleep. The hour and a half drive north along Route 6 afforded plenty of time for the local guide to teach everyone a few words in Hebrew and Arabic, though, and for a quick currency, history and geography lesson.

Peering into the darkness we were left thinking of Jericho fruit and the green flashing lights on the mosques in the Palestinian cities.

Then we saw our first glimpse of the walls and barbed wire that divides this land.

Tomorrow we hope to round up a few stray pilgrims and truly begin walking in the footsteps of Jesus, taking in Cana and Nazareth. Archbishop Philip Tartaglia of Glasgow arrives in the wee small hours and will catch up with pilgrims ahead of Wednesday.