WASHINGTON, D.C. — Deacon Daren Bitter (at left), of St. Matthew Church in Charlotte, was invested into the Equestrian Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre during a special ceremony at Mass Oct. 29 at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle.
Deacon Bitter is the first ordained deacon of the Diocese of Charlotte to receive this honor. He was the only person in the diocese to be invested this year.
Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore (above at center) and Cardinal Justin Francis Rigali were among the clergy who concelebrated the investiture Mass.
“For me, it’s about making a difference. Although I am not there physically (in the Holy Land), to be associated with an organization which collectively is doing that, making a difference, calling attention to the plight of Christians there, that is important,” Deacon Bitter said.
The Knights and Dames of the Holy Sepulchre are tasked with providing material and spiritual support to the Latin rite Catholic Church in the Holy Land.
There are currently 33,000 members of the order in 40 nations worldwide. Members are required to travel regularly on pilgrimage to the Holy Land, bringing moral support to the Christians of the region.
They provide aid to the Latin Patriarchate, which consists of 68 parishes, 44 schools and 90,000 faithful in Jordan, Palestine, Israel and Cyprus. The global amount of aid annually sent to the Holy Land is more than $10 million.
— Photo Provided by Matt Barrick, Barrick Photography