Bethlehem, Palestine – Members of the Brothers community at Bethlehem University regularly gather with other Catholics at 6 PM every Friday evening to pray the rosary. The venue for this event is near an Israeli checkpoint along a segment of the barrier the Israelis erected in the disputed West Bank territory to isolate the Palestinians. Construction of the wall began in 2002 and the tradition of the weekly rosary goes back about fifteen years. The intention of the weekly prayer is peace in the Middle East. Brother Peter Iorlano has assumed a leadership role in this activity.
One of the accompanying photos shows Brother Peter and Brother Alejandro Cerna waiting for others to arrive. Another depicts part of the group that gathered on May 24. The Marian icon on the wall is the focus of the Salve Regina which is sung at the conclusion of the five decades.
