Ecclesiastical Knight Very Reverend Gerard MacCormack, KHS returned to Jerusalem where he met with the Custos, His Excellency Fr. Franceso Patton, OFM and received the ‘Leonine Cross‘ pilgrim medal and parchment scroll.

The medal, in the shape of the Cross of the Holy Land and was first issued by Pope Leo XIII in 1900 to individuals who had made the Holy pilgrimage, as a visible sign of their achievement and experience which was sculptured in their hearts.

Fr Gerard took the opportunity to present to the Custos with the Good Friday Collection, donated by the 

parishioners of the Parish of Kingscourt, to support the work of the Francicans in the Holy Land.

Fr Gerard met subsequently with local travel representatives and a tour guide to finalise details of the forthcoming Diocese of Meath Pilgrimage to the Holy Land scheduled to take place in November 2023.

Separately, two Knights Chevaliers Peter Moylan, KCHS and David Williams, KHS both from Ennis, County Clare participated in their first visit to the Holy Land when they received their Pilgrim Shells and parchment scrolls from His Excellency Bishop William Shomali The General Vicar and Patriarchal Vicar for Jerusalem and Palestine.

Chevaliers Peter and David were participants of the Lieutenancy of England and Wales Order Pilgrimage which was led by His Excellency Michael Byrne, GCHS.

Highlights of the pilgrimage included: the Solemn robed entry into the Church of the Holy Sepulchre; celebration of Holy Mass on Calvary; praying in the Empty Tomb; visiting the birthplace of Jesus in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem and re-enacting the Passion of our Lord Jesus along the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem Old City.