Holy Land friars, diplomats gather at Jordan River to celebrate Christ’s Baptism
January 13, 2026
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CWN Editor's Note: Commemorating the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, the custos of the Holy Land, Father Francesco Ielpo, OFM, celebrated an outdoor Mass at Qasr al-Yahud in the West Bank, on the western side of the Jordan River.
In the 14th century, the Holy See entrusted the care of the holy sites in the Holy Land to the Franciscan order. Before the Mass, the consuls of Italy, Spain, France, and Belgium joined the custos, or Franciscan provincial, for a meeting with local officials.
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