Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – A journey to confirm Christians in their faith, to speak as a pilgrim of peace in a land devastated by long decades of conflict, to continue on the path of ecumenism and dialogue among the great monotheistic religions. These are the objectives of the upcoming apostolic journey of the Holy Father Benedict XVI in Jordan, Israel, and the Palestinian Territories, which will take place May 8-15. This is what the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Father Federico Lombardi, said in a briefing with journalists from all over the world.
Father Lombardi did not hesitate to mention the difficulties surrounding the visit that is about to begin, after the Gaza Strip conflict and while Israel has had important changes in its government. The objective of the visit, Fr. Lombardi said, is firstly, “to confirm and encourage the Christians in the Holy Land,” who must face many difficulties every day. The Director of the Holy See Press Office also recalled the various ceremonies which the Pope will attend, the cornerstone laying of several houses of worship and other buildings, a sign that the Church wishes to continue progressing. Another priority intention for the trip is, as Benedict XVI himself has said, that of being a “pilgrim of peace, in the name of the one God, Father of all. I will give witness to the Catholic Church's commitment in favor of those who work to practice dialogue and reconciliation, to arrive to a stable and lasting peace in justice and mutual respect.”
The Director of the Holy See Press Office explained that the trip to Jordan, Israel, and the Palestinian Territories is taking place amidst a religious and civil context that is much more complex now after the conflict in Gaza, and that presents a series of unknowns with a new government in Israel, political divisions between Palestinians and the postponed January elections, the tension towards Iran and the policy of the new American President Obama. “It is a complex situation in constant change and with various tension factors. The Pope's trip is an act of hope and confidence to contributing to peace and reconciliation,” Fr. Lombardi affirmed. “It also seems to me to be a courageous act and a beautiful testimony of commitment to a message of peace and reconciliation even in difficult situations.”
the Pope will meet with the King of Jordan, the Israeli President and Prime Minister, and the Palestinian President. These will be the most important events on a political level. He will also meet with leaders and faithful of the 6 Catholic Rites and other Christian Churches, as well as with religious leaders of Judaism and Islam. He will visit the esplanade of the Mosque and the Western Wall, as well as a group of Palestinians in Bethlehem and the Mausoleum of Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, paying tribute to the victims of the Holocaust, however he will not visit the Historical Museum as had been scheduled earlier. “In his visit to the Yad Vashem memorial, Benedict XVI will also hear testimonies from 3 Holocaust survivors. In his visit to Bethlehem on May 13, he will also meet with a delegation of Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank,” Fr. Lombardi said. The Pontiff is also scheduled to leave a personal message in the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. (Mtp) (Agenzia Fides 05/05/2009)
