The
Catholic Weekly
Online
Sydney
7 December 2003
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Holy Land ‘holiest of all’
Holy Land ‘holiest of all’
Cardinal Pio Laghi walks through the Old City of Jerusalem with fellow pilgrims
By Damir Govorcin
If Costandi Bastoli had his way, visits to the Holy Land would become an annual event on any pilgrim’s calendar.
Mr Bastoli, who is a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre and on the board of Harvest Pilgrimages, led a group of five pilgrims to Israel in October - the first by Harvest to the Holy Land in three years.
Despite the continuing conflict there, Mr Bastoli says at no time did the tour group feel in danger.
“The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been going on for more than 35 years and in that time not one pilgrim or tourist has been killed,” he says.
“They don’t go around blowing up tourist buses.
“There is no danger ... I would recommend visiting the Holy Land to anyone. Visiting the holy shrines is an amazing experience.”
Mr Bastoli echoed the sentiments of Cardinal Pio Laghi, who led 50 Italian pilgrims on a three-day visit to the Holy Land in November.
Cardinal Laghi, retired head of the Vatican Congregation for Catholic Education and a former nuncio to the US, says he wanted to dispel fears about visiting the Holy Land.
“We are protected here,” he said. “We are less safe in Istanbul (Turkey) or even in Rome.
“In a way, when you just study the Gospel, it remains flat. Coming here elevates your understanding of what the Gospel says.
“Coming to the Holy Land not only benefits the pilgrim, but also the people living in the area.
“While pilgrims continue to flock to other holy sites in Europe and around the world, the Holy Land is the holiest of all.”
Mr Bastoli says that apart from some apprehension at Tel Aviv Airport and checkpoints his tour went without a hitch.
He is organising another pilgrimage tour to the Holy Land at Easter.
“We stayed in a hotel in the Old City of Jerusalem, and as there weren’t many tourists around we were able to visit all the holy shrines we wanted to,” he says.