Photo By Master Sgt. Caleb Pierce | Bishop Giorgio Bertin, Order of the Franciscan Friars, leads mass following a desert...... read more read more
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KAID, Djiboutian - Nearly 150 people from Camp Lemonnier, Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, and the Djiboutian community participated in a march through the desert in observance of Lent March 8, 2013.
Led by Bishop Giorgio Bertin, who first led the march nearly 12 years ago, the tradition symbolizing two biblical events in the desert continued.
“We go into the desert to relive a little bit of the experience of Jesus’ fasting in the desert and to relive also the journey of the people of Israel before they entered the holy land,” Bertin said.
While founded in Christianity, the walk was open to believers from any faith who wanted to leave behind everyday life for a one-day pilgrimage and focus on their spiritual virtues.
“The idea of going into the desert and making that experience a sense of stripping away all the extras in life to get down to the fundamentals that we forget about – that’s human,” said Father (Lt. Cmdr.) Mark Reilly, deputy camp chaplain.
Throughout the desert walk, participants stopped for devotionals, meditation and conversation with one another.
“They come together for this and it’s a wonderful opportunity to meet the members of that particular segment of the local population, the bishop, the religious sisters, the missionaries,” said Reilly. “It’s an interesting mix of people and it’s a great opportunity to interact with a population drawn from a much broader reach.”
The march concluded with Bertin, the bishop of Djibouti, leading Catholic Mass followed by a meal, fellowship and sharing experiences from the march.
“We get caught up in and get distracted from what really matters so – then we come away with an experience like this,” Reilly said. “It’s something I trust will ultimately help us to grow and be the people we were meant to be from the beginning.”
| Date Taken: | 03.08.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 03.20.2013 09:56 |
| Story ID: | 103787 |
| Location: | KAID, DJ |
| Web Views: | 80 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, US service members, Djiboutians walk in desert to observe lent, by MSgt Caleb Pierce, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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