On the Feast of Our Lady, Queen of Palestine, Patroness of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, a solemn Investiture Ceremony of new members of the Order was celebrated at the Church of the Holy Trinity in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Presiding over the ceremony, the Grand Prior of the Order in South Africa, and President of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC), reflected on the deep responsibilities and spiritual calling of the Order.

“It is believed that this Order dates back to the First Crusade… its aims are first and foremost to strengthen the members of the Order in the practice of the Christian life, bound by absolute obedience to the Holy Father,” said Cardinal Stephen Brislin.

The Archbishop of Johannesburg went on to highlight the Order’s assistance in the Holy Land: “Aid is given to sustain the charitable, cultural and social base… to give our assistance to the small Church in Palestine, which today is much more diminished.”

Cardinal Brislin also highlighted the spiritual focus of the Order: “The Knights talk of the three Ps of prayer, pilgrimage, and philanthropy… to strengthen faith and contribute to the good works of the Church in the Holy Land.”

Acknowledging the ongoing suffering in the region, he stated: “We cannot be oblivious to the genocide and war crimes that are being committed… as members of the Order, we stand in solidarity with the Palestinians, Christian and non-Christian, aiming always for peace based on justice and equity.”

He urged members to live out their faith: “Please don’t forget the aims of the Order… participating, facing the truth, practicing love through concrete actions, living the values of the Gospel, and respecting the dignity of each and every living person.”

“I hope and trust that when all the troubles in the Holy Land, the violence comes to an end, that those who have been the subjects of violence… will be able to say afterwards that through all our sorrows, through all our sufferings, the Church stood with us,” Cardinal Brislin said in his homily, emphasizing the importance of standing in solidarity with those who suffer and promoting peace rooted in justice.

The Feast of Our Lady, Queen of Palestine, Patroness of the Order, provided the perfect backdrop for the celebration. Cardinal Brislin highlighted that the Order has a mission not only to sustain charitable, cultural, and social works in the Holy Land but also to support and strengthen its members in their Christian life. “This means participating, facing the truth, practicing love through concrete actions, living the values of the Gospel, and respecting the dignity of each and every living person,” he said.

The October 10 celebration saw the investiture of Rev. Fr. Lawrence Mdudzi Ndlovu, Parish Administrator of the Cathedral of Johannesburg, and Rev. Fr. Bruce Botha SJ, Episcopal Vicar for Evangelisation of the Archdiocese of Johannesburg. Their commitment to the service of the Holy Land and to the Christian communities there reflects the enduring mission of the Order: prayer, pilgrimage, and philanthropy as instruments of faith in action.

At the kind invitation of His Excellency H.E. Juan Luis Cabral, KCHS, His Excellency Archbishop Henryk M. Jagodziński, Apostolic Nuncio to South Africa, together with Monsignor Giacomo Antonicelli, Secretary of the Nunciature, attended the ceremony. Their presence further underscored the unity and fraternal communion of the Church, linking the local Church in South Africa with the universal mission of the Holy See.

Cardinal Brislin also reminded the members of the Order of their unique role as the primary source of support for the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem and the small but vibrant Christian communities in the Holy Land. “We cannot solve the problems, but we can be in solidarity with those who are suffering,” he said, calling on all to uphold the values of justice, equity, and love in their everyday lives.

The celebration was a vivid display of the Church’s universal communion, with clergy, religious, and laity coming together in prayer and festivity. Cardinal Brislin concluded with a call to members to carry forward the spirit of the Order in both prayer and action, particularly for those who are weak, vulnerable, and marginalized, echoing the example of the Good Samaritan.