After 54 years, Holy Mass returned Jan. 10 to the Church of St. John the Baptist at Qasr Al-Yahud near the west bank of the River Jordan, where Christians commemorate the baptism of Jesus. Abandoned in 1967, the church fell into disrepair when it became a minefield during the Six-Day War.<br /><br /><br />After clearing the mines, officials returned the land to the Franciscans with the Custody of the Holy Land. The minefield “is once again a field of peace” and prayer, said Father Francesco Patton, the Custos of the Holy Land, who celebrated the Mass on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.<br /><br />Read more: Mass returns to West Bank church after clearing of landmines<br />http://bit.ly/AleteiaFB_BaptismChurch<br />
