Pope Benedict XVI blesses the first stone of the Magdala Center in Galilee.

Jerusalem, May 11, 2009.  During his pilgrimage to Israel, Pope Benedict XVI blessed the cornerstone of the Magdala Center, a retreat center that the Legionaries of Christ are building on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, in the city of Magdala. The Magdala Center will be an extension of the Pontifical Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center, which Pope John Paul II entrusted to the management of the Legion of Christ in 2004.

The simple and beautiful ceremony took place at the end of the Pope’s visit to the Pontifical Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center, where the Pope had led a meeting for interreligious dialogue earlier that day. 

After the blessing of the cornerstone, Fr Juan Solana, LC, the director of the Pontifical Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center, gave the Holy Father an explanation of what the project will entail, showing him a short video presentation of the center’s multimedia center.

The Holy Father listened with great interest to the explanation of the future center, and commented that the cornerstone was sculpted with a figure representing the barque of Peter and the Latin phrase “Duc in altum,” meaning “Set out into the deep.” 

To conclude the ceremony, the

	The Holy Father signs the Guestbook at the Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center.

Pope then gave Father Juan Solana, LC, a silver-plated tabernacle with the image of the Good Shepherd on the door as a gift for the Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center. He also signed the Guestbook.

The Holy Father was accompanied by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Holy See’s Secretary of State; Bishop Fouad Twal, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem; Bishop Antonio Franco, the Apostolic Nuncio in Israel; Father Álvaro Corcuera, LC, the General Director of the Legion of Christ and the Regnum Christi Movement; and Father Luis Garza, LC, the Vicar General of the Legion of Christ.

To view a video about the event, click here.

About the Magdala Center

The Magdala Center will be located in Magdala, the city where Mary of Magdala was born, on a 20.5-acre plot of land bordering the Sea of Galilee.

The center will have various elements aimed at helping pilgrims grow in their spiritual life:
• The Notre Dame of Galilee Hotel with capacity for 300 guests
• The “Magdala, Walk with Me” Media Center to help pilgrims to envision life in the times of Jesus, and to hear his message through a dynamic, multi-sensory medium
• A new Basilica of St Mary Magdalene, where pilgrims can attend

	Fr Juan María Solana, LC, displays the stone that Pope Benedict XVI blessed.

Mass and receive the sacraments.
• An International Center for Women, to help foster the awareness of the unique dignity and vocation of women.
• Access to the ruins of ancient Magdala, which are under the care of the Franciscan friars and archeologists in the area.

The Magdala Center strives to answer the needs of the 2.5 million Christian pilgrims who visit the Holy Land, 70% of whom come to Galilee.  In addition to the longstanding and important institutions and ministries of the Franciscan friars in the Holy Land, the Magdala Center will offer pilgrims a place for prayer, cultural enrichment, and information about the land and its history, helping them encounter Christ in the land where much of his public ministry unfolded.