Catholic pilgrims from Pakistan take a dip in the Jordan River during a pilgrimage-cum-study tour organized by the Catholic Bible Commission, Pakistan, from June 26 to July 3. (Photo supplied)
Minorma Timothy Gomez couldn’t control her tears when she visited the cave where Jesus had stayed and preached while traveling to the old city of Gadara in Jordan.
The Pakistani housewife now keeps two pebbles from the site as souvenirs of the pilgrimage she undertook along with her nine-year-old daughter and husband, who is an NGO worker.
“I literally walked in His footsteps. Personally, it shook me to the core. I am thankful to God and our priests for all the excellent arrangements for our first tour abroad. Plus it was a wonderful break from household chores,” Gomez, 39, told UCA News.
The cave of Jesus was among the 34 biblical sites visited by 46 Catholic pilgrims, aged 3 to 82, from Pakistan from June 26 to July 3.
It was the 14th pilgrimage-cum-study tour organized by the Catholic Bible Commission, Pakistan (CBCP) since 2017. So far 425 Catholics from around the South Asian country have made the pilgrimage to Jordan, Turkey and Egypt.
The latest visit to Jordan included daily Mass, rosary recitation and seeing some wonders of the world including Petra and the Dead Sea.
“The briefings they give help us understand the importance of these places. It deepened my connection with God and His plan. I feel like visiting more sites where the prophets spent their lives and receive special blessings,” Gomez said.
The recent tour was specially organized for Islamabad-Rawalpindi diocese, which is celebrating its platinum jubilee year until October. The theme of their jubilee year is “evangelization, service and witness” and the principal Biblical verse is John 10:10.
“Give the good fortune to your parents and elders. First come, first served. Only for the pilgrims of Islamabad-Rawalpindi diocese,” stated the CBCP advertisement.
The tour cost was 2, 65,000 rupees (US$1,280) per pilgrim including visa expenses, health insurance and entry tickets.
For Nayab Younas, 30, and her elder sister, it was their brother who paid the tour expenses.
“It was the first time we actually saw history unfold as told in the Bible. My father, a retired government officer, wanted to join us but opted out in our favor,” she said.
Younas had been longing to go abroad ever since she became a secretary to the rector of St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Rawalpindi in 2019.
“My social media pages are filled with photos of priests spending summer holidays abroad or attending international events. Such events are rare for the laity. I feel lucky to have had this opportunity,” she said.
Like the other pilgrims, Younas too was immersed in the Jordan River by an accompanying priest.
“My sister and I are now the only ones in our family who renewed our baptism vows in the same place where Jesus was baptized by St. John the Baptist. We visited the Aaron Valley where God provided Manna to the Israelites during their journey in the desert. I know God will provide His blessings to my family as well,” she said.
Her group also met Mgr. Jamal Khader of Jordon. In 2018, the Pakistani pilgrims met Pope Tawadros II of the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt.
Father Emmanuel Asi, executive secretary of CBCP, who organized the appointments with the prelates, said witnessing the local Church life is a crucial part of these tours along with the opportunity to learn about biblical archaeology, contemporary civilization and history.
“We encourage the elderly and even the unlettered folks to join us, but it is difficult getting their documents for visa purposes. We even managed to take a wheelchair-bound wife of a Karachi-based catechist on the weeklong tour,” he said.
The Covid pandemic caused an unforeseen break and fresh challenges as the Pakistani currency depreciated against the US dollar.
Eric Paul, deputy director of the National Accountability Bureau, utilized his annual bonus. “It was hard going alone and I had to take permission from my family. God willing they will accompany me on the next pilgrimage,” said Paul who carried home holy water and oil along with the sacred soil of Jordon.
The father of two had been wanting to undertake the journey since he first learned about the pilgrimage from his senior four years ago.
A last-minute shortfall caused Gomez to seek a loan from her grownup daughter. But she managed to somehow fulfill her dream. “We only had limited savings; otherwise I also wanted to take my other daughter along. I could afford fewer presents, but she was considerate enough,” she said.
The pilgrims felt as if their bond with the Church had been renewed after the pilgrimage. “Sitting and talking, even laughing, with our archbishop, senior priests and people from different parts was a great learning experience. The sacrifices we made seem very small compared to the blessings,” Gomez said.
Church groups including CBCP have been urging the government to allow Christians to also visit Israel. The absence of formal diplomatic ties between the two countries forbids Pakistani Christians from undertaking a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
Pakistani passports clearly state that it “is valid for all countries of the world except Israel.”
“We strongly recommend the government to let us visit our holy places. Israel shares borders with both Egypt and Jordan but without valid visas, we cannot cross them. Yet, we are working on multiple possibilities and are hopeful,” said Father Asi.
Archbishop Joseph Arshad of Islamabad-Rawalpindi, who accompanied the pilgrims, lauded the CBCP initiative.
“This pilgrimage was of great significance, especially in the context of the ongoing platinum jubilee of our diocese. It was an opportunity for the faithful to uplift themselves spiritually, gain blessings and get closer to God,” he told UCA News.
Paul said he felt as if he was still walking on the holy ground. “I can’t describe the feeling. There is nothing greater than this blessing,” he added.
