Large groups of pilgrims began coming to the Holy Land
in 1882 under the direction of French Assumptionists. The experience
gained from these pilgrimages prompted the religious to build a center for
French pilgrims similar to the one on Jaffa Road for Russian pilgrims. The
location of the new center would be right next to the Holy
City.
A Planning Committee was quickly set up. The
Count of Piellat, who had been searching for a plot of land in Jerusalem
on behalf of religious communities, found a 4,000 square meters of land
right next to the French Hospital of St. Louis des Français. Thanks
to the help of generous benefactors, the Assumptionists were able to
acquire this property, and preparations began under the direction of
Father Germer-Durand, A.A. The cornerstone was officially laid on June
10th, 1885.
With the generous aid of
thousands of French pilgrims and numerous donors, the complex was
completed according to Abbé Brisacier’s original plan,
harmoniously combining architectural sobriety, a contemporary style, and
an arabesque influence.
In 1886, Monseigneur Poyet of
Lyons, the Vicar General of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, proposed
the name for the new building: “Notre Dame de
France.”
In 1888, Notre Dame received its first
pilgrims. The cornerstone of the chapel was laid during the Eucharistic
World Congress of 1893, and the chapel was consecrated in 1894. In 1904,
after twenty years of ongoing construction, the house was completed and
crowned with the great statue of the Virgin Mary, a replica of Our Lady of
Salvation in Paris.
Notre Dame de France Pilgrim Center
met the requirements for the new types of large pilgrimages in which 500
pilgrims would arrive and depart at the same time on special ships
equipped with chapels. At Notre Dame de France, the pilgrims found
accommodations commensurate with their numbers. The Assumptionists
assisted them spiritually and served as guides as they visited the Holy
Places.
The great success of this spiritual
undertaking was recognized by the civil authorities who granted the
institution numerous privileges embodied in the Treaties of
Mytyléne (1901) and Constantinople (1913), and later confirmed by
the State of Israel in the Chauvel/Fischer Exchange of Letters
(1948-49).
Until the First World War, the building also
served as a seminary for future Assumptionists. The scientific research and
the publications of its staff gave it an excellent reputation. Particularly
famous was its museum which, unfortunately, was almost completely destroyed
in subsequent outbreaks of hostility.
After the Second
World War, the building was heavily damaged during the Israeli –
Arab conflict of 1948. The south wing, facing the Old City, became
uninhabitable as a result of the explosion of two bombs, and became an
Israeli guard post. The north wing and the small houses in the garden were
occupied by numerous refugees. The Assumptionists lived in the central wing
next to the chapel and continued their mission, offering their traditional
hospitality to greatly reduced numbers of faithful pilgrims.
Even after the borders were reopened, the situation
did not improve. Maintenance costs became prohibitive because the
remaining religious could no longer depend on outside help. The situation
having become untenable, the center was eventually turned over to the Holy
See on March 2nd, 1972 and restored to its original status as a
pilgrim center.
The reconstruction and rehabilitation
of the Notre Dame center was a project very dear to Pope Paul VI.
Professor Frank Montana, an architect from Notre Dame University in
Indiana, USA, planned the reconstruction and enlargement of the main
edifice. Mr. Joseph Khoury, an engineer from Jerusalem, carried out the
actual construction process, and Abraham Suchovolsky of Tel Aviv assisted
in the resolution of legal difficulties. The project was possible largely
because of the financial assistance of Catholics from the United States of
America.
And so, starting in 1973, Notre Dame of
Jerusalem was gradually resurrected as the Holy See’s international
pilgrim center. On December 27th, 1978, the heads of the seven
Catholic rites represented in Jerusalem, the Apostolic Delegate, and the
Chargé of the Holy See for the Notre Dame Center, gathered in
Jerusalem for a special event: His Eminence Cardinal Terence J. Cooke,
Archbishop of New York, officially promulgated the decree signed by Pope
John Paul II which established the center as a Pontifical Institute and an
ecumenical holy place.
Archchbishop Cooke also
rededicated the chapel and restored it to public worship. Finally, on
February 2nd, 1981 the Holy See published the Statutes of the
Pontifical Institute to furnish a solid basis for the center’s
functioning.
In 1978, Monsignor Mathes was assigned by
the Holy See as Chargé of the Notre Dame Center, and remained in
this office for 20 years. He was a very reconciling man who loved the
Palestinian people and was very committed to help them in any way he
could.
In December of 1987, the first so-called
Intifada (in English: uprising) broke out and lasted until the
end of the year 1990. It had very severe effects on the social and
political situation of the country and particularly for the pilgrimages in
the Holy Land. In addition, the Golf War in January 1991 caused a great
shortage in pilgrimages coming to the Holy Land. August 1991 saw a slow
recovery of the situation.
During these years,
Monsignor Mathes made an extraordinary effort to support the suffering
population. In 1988, he started up an initiative to create a hospitality
college which would assure a future to Palestinian youth. During the worst
and most dangerous moments of the Intifada, he opened the doors of
Notre Dame Center to offer accommodations to many families.
As the situation grew worse, Monsignor Mathes managed
to finance a great part of the salaries of the staff of Notre Dame with
the help of donations from abroad. Because of these efforts, the staff did
not have to be reduced and the employees were able to receive their
salaries during those difficult years. All who knew him remember him as a
man who was always available for others, with an open ear and an open
heart for all.
After the Intifada and the Golf War of
1991, the situation became more stable and Notre Dame was able to function
normally again.
In 1998, Don Aldo Tolotto was assigned
as the new Chargé for the Notre Dame Center. He made a very
positive contribution with renovations in the center and was frequently
seen working together with the employees to keep Notre Dame of Jerusalem
in good condition.
Difficult years
started when the second Intifada broke out on September
28th, 2000 and the occupancy of the Notre Dame Center dropped
drastically. On September 1st, 2001, the Notre Dame Center had
to be closed. It reopened its doors for groups again at the end of March
2002. During the following years the directive team of Notre Dame had to
struggle with low numbers of groups visiting the Holy Land. But there were
loyal promoters of pilgrimages who even in those unstable years would come
each year with their groups. In 2004, a slow recovery
began.
On November 26th, 2004 Pope John Paul
II entrusted the Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center to the Legionaries of
Christ with a Motu Proprio.
His words were: “In order to ensure the stability and
continuity of the Pontifical Institute ‘Notre Dame of Jerusalem
Center,’ we have considered it fitting to entrust it to the care and
direction of the Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ.” Fr. Juan
María Solana, LC, was assigned as the new Chargé.
The priests of the Legionaries or Christ are supported
in their mission by an international apostolic movement for laypeople,
Regnum Christi, which shares their same spirituality and apostolic
charisma at the service of the Church. It is formed by young people and
adults, deacons and priests and counts on members in more then 45
countries. Its mission could be summed up: Love Christ, Serve People,
Build the Church – forming a society of Christian justice and
charity.
At present, the “Notre Dame of Jerusalem
Center” has the following
sections:
Ø
A guest house for religious and pilgrims which
also serves as an ecumenical and pastoral center for Jerusalem Christians,
thus promoting the encounter between the local and universal Church;
Ø
A professional promotion center for local
Palestinian youth;
Ø
A permanent exhibition “Who is the Man of
the Shroud?” on the Shroud of Turin.
Moreover,
several ecclesiastical offices and bureaus are accommodated in the center,
which also organizes and gives pastoral care to pilgrims from every country
in the world. Its ecumenical character is assured by its establishment as a
Prelatura nullius.
By all of these means, the Notre Dame of
Jerusalem Center intends to fulfill the mission entrusted to it by Pope
John Paul II, who stated in his Decree, “We dedicate this Center to
Our Lady of Jerusalem, Regina Pacis (Queen of Peace), and offer it to the
world as a place of fruitful spiritual development.”