Holy Men and Women of Badaliyya during Advent

Folks!
Peace!
We begin our Advent Devotion by taking Our Lady of Pokrov, known as the Theotokos (Mother of God), as the patron saint of our Badaliyya, as she was for the original prayer group in Cairo.The feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos falls in the Byzantine Calender on October 1st. It honors the appearance of the Virgin during an all night vigil in Blachernae Church in Constantinople on October 1st, in the year 911 where she was seen to be spreading her veil in protection of the world.
Fr. Louis Massignon encouraged the addition of this feast in his adopted Greek Catholic (Melkite) Rite.He also mentioned Sr. Mariam Baouardy, a Palestinian Arab Carmelite who died in 1878 and was beatified in 1983.

We would dedicate our prayer gathering to those saints who were so essential to Massignon's own spiritual growth. Our Lady of Pokrov, October 1st, Saint Francis on October 4th, and St. Therese of Lisieux on October 1st who was made a Doctor of the Church on October 19th,1997 and Blessed Charles de Foucauld, December 1st. In keeping with Massignon's spirit we call on these Holy men and women as we pray for peace and non-violent reconciliation in the Holy Land, the Middle East and throughout the world.

Please join us in spirit as we pray for an end to violence in Southern Philippines the Middle East and the Holy Land.

Peace to you.
Bapa Jun Mercado, OMI
December 10, 2014