The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem – an institution that works to preserve the Catholic faith in the Holy Land – welcomes new members with its annual investiture ceremony at St. Patrick Cathedral in New York City each fall, and this year seven parishioners of the Diocese of Harrisburg were among those joining the order.
Members, known as knights and dames, were invested October 11 during the celebration of Mass at St. Patrick Cathedral in New York City.
The newly-invested members from the Diocese are Mary Beth Osborne of Good Shepherd Parish in Camp Hill; Deacon Thomas and Carla Lang, and Mark and Paige Morabito of the Cathedral Parish of St. Patrick in Harrisburg; John Pace of St. Patrick Parish in York; and Anthony Lieto of St. Patrick Parish in Carlisle.
The order has upwards of 30,000 members in 40 nations. Members are dedicated to the care and support of the people in the Holy Land, who account for 1.9 percent of its total population and often endure a high cost of living and lack of employment; are subject to high taxes, eviction and border blockages; and suffer from a lack of basic human rights.
Knights and Dames of the Equestrian Order support the people of the Holy Land through charity, prayer and pilgrimages. The institution’s projects and ministries include schools, orphanages, centers for people with disabilities, and support for families that lack healthcare and employment, reaching Christians in Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Cyprus, Syria and Egypt.
Membership in the worldwide order is one of the highest papal awards given to those who have performed commendable work for the Church. The history of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem can be traced to the time of the first Crusade, when its leader, Godfrey de Bouillon, liberated Jerusalem. The first documented evidence of an investiture was in 1336.
Those who want to learn more about the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, or who are interested in membership, are encouraged to contact Father Bateman, Diocesan liaison for the order, at frjbateman@hbgdiocese.org, or visit www.eohsjeastern.org.
(Photos courtesy of Ambyre Pace.)
By Jen Reed, The Catholic Witness
