Τήν πρωΐαν τοῦ Σαββάτου, 3ης / 16ης Αὐγούστου 2025, ἔλαβε χώραν ἡ ἐπίσκεψις παρά τῷ Μακαριωτάτῳ τοῦ Νέου Κουστῳδου τῆς Ἁγίας Γῆς τῆς Ἀδελφότητος τῶν Φραγκισκανῶν Ὁσιολογιωτάτου π. Francesco Ielpo μετά μικρᾶς Συνοδείας αὐτοῦ, ἀποτελουμένης ὑπό παλαιοτέρων Φραγκισκανῶν μοναχῶν ὡς τοῦ π. Ντομπρομήρ, τοῦ π. Ἀθανασίου Μακόρα καί ὑπό νέων μοναχῶν ὡς τοῦ π. Ulisses, βικαρίου.
Ὁ νέος Κουστῳδός ἐξέφρασε τήν χαράν αὐτοῦ διά τήν ἐπίσκεψιν καί τήν πρόθεσιν αὐτοῦ διά προσκυνηματικήν συνεργασίαν μετά τῆς Ἁγιοταφιτικῆς Ἀδελφότητος.
Ὁ Μακαριώτατος μετά τῶν Ἁγιοταφιτῶν Πατέρων ἐδέχθη τόν νέον Κουστῳδόν φιλοφρόνως καί προσεφώνησεν αὐτῷ διά τῆς κάτωθι προσφωνήσεως Αὐτοῦ ἀγγλιστί ὡς ἕπεται:
“Your Paternity,
beloved and dear Father Francesco,
As you mark the official beginning of your ministry as Custos, please allow Us to welcome you in this formal way and to express our gratitude to Almighty God on your election and installation.
Your previous service in past years in support of the ministry of the Custody in the Holy Land has been a providential preparation for the weighty mantel of leadership that has now been cast upon your shoulders.
We look forward to your leadership among us both as a superior of one of the Major Communities to which the diakonia of the places has been entrusted by Divine Providence as well as a member of the Council of the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches. We hope very much that together we can build on the excellent and effective work of your two immediate predecessors, with whom We have enjoyed the most cordial and fruitful relationship and with whom We have been able to accomplish so much for the well-being of the Holy Place and the Christian community of the region.
You come to your new responsibility at a challenging and difficult time. No one can bear the burden that you are now called to bear without the strength and the comfort of the Holy Spirit. And so, it is Our fervent prayer that you may be upheld by this same Spirit as you give yourself to this new service. As we are reminded by saint Paul, the one who calls you is faithful (2 thss.5:24). And We assure you of our prayers for, and our commitment to you, as you join Us here in the Holy City of Jerusalem as a servant of our Lord Jesus Christ”.
Ὁ Μακαριώτατος ἐν συνεχείᾳ επέδωσεν αὐτῷ εἰκόνα τοῦ ἀνακαινισθέντος Κουβουκλίου τοῦ Παναγίου Τάφου, εὐχόμενος ἐπί τῶν ἡμερῶν τῆς Ἡγουμενίας αὐτοῦ νά ὁλοκληρωθοῦν αἱ ἀνακαινιστικαί ἐργασίαι εἰς τόν Πανίερον Ναόν τῆς Ἀναστάσεως.
Ἀπαντῶν ὁ νέος Κουστῳδός ηὐχαρίστησεν τόν Μακαριώτατον διά τήν ὑποδοχήν ἐν ἀγάπῃ καί ἀδελφοσύνῃ καί ἐκτιμήσει τῶν προκατόχων αὐτοῦ, τό ἔργον τῶν ὁποίων εἶπεν ὅτι θά συνεχίσῃ, οὕτως ὥστε νά ὑπάρχῃ μία ἰσχυρά Χριστιανική μαρτυρία εἰς τήν Ἁγίαν Γῆν καί ὅλην τήν ἀνθρωπότητα.
