Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Tel Aviv (Agenzia Fides) – The Holy Father's plane traveling from Amman arrived at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv at 11am local time on Monday, May 11. Benedict XVI was received by the President of the State of Israel, Shimon Peres, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Political and civil authorities, as well as the Ordinaries of the Holy Land, were present. After the presentation of the Delegation and a greeting to the President of Israel, the Pope began his address with these words: “Thank you for your warm welcome to the State of Israel, a land which is held holy by millions of believers around the world...I take my place in a long line of Christian pilgrims to these shores, a line that stretches back to the earliest centuries of the Church’s history and which, I am sure, will continue long into the future. I come, like so many others before me, to pray at the holy places, to pray especially for peace – peace here in the Holy Land, and peace throughout the world.”
The Holy Father recalled that “the Holy See and the State of Israel have many shared values, above all a commitment to give religion its rightful place in the life of society,” and he continued: “When the religious dimension of the human person is denied or marginalized, the very foundation for a proper understanding of inalienable human rights is placed in jeopardy.” Benedict XVI then mentioned that “tragically, the Jewish people have experienced the terrible consequences of ideologies that deny the fundamental dignity of every human person,” and called it “right and fitting that, during my stay in Israel, I will have the opportunity to honor the memory of the six million Jewish victims of the Shoah, and to pray that humanity will never again witness a crime of such magnitude. Sadly, anti-Semitism continues to rear its ugly head in many parts of the world. This is totally unacceptable. Every effort must be made to combat anti-Semitism wherever it is found, and to promote respect and esteem for the members of every people, tribe, language and nation across the globe.”
In his address, the Pope also mentioned the “special veneration” that the three great monotheistic religions share for the holy city of Jerusalem, expressing his hope that “all pilgrims to the holy places will be able to access them freely and without restraint, to take part in religious ceremonies and to promote the worthy upkeep of places of worship on sacred sites.” Even though the name Jerusalem means “city of peace,” it is all too evident that, for decades, peace has tragically eluded the inhabitants of this holy land. “The hopes of countless men, women and children for a more secure and stable future depend on the outcome of negotiations for peace between Israelis and Palestinians. In union with people of good will everywhere, I plead with all those responsible to explore every possible avenue in the search for a just resolution of the outstanding difficulties, so that both peoples may live in peace in a homeland of their own, within secure and internationally recognized borders.”
Lastly, the Holy Father addressed the Bishops and Catholic faithful present: “In this land, where Peter received his commission to feed the Lord’s sheep, I come as Peter’s successor to minister among you...To the Christian communities in the Holy Land, I say: by your faithful witness to him who preached forgiveness and reconciliation, by your commitment to uphold the sacredness of every human life, you can make a particular contribution to ending the hostilities that for so long have afflicted this land. I pray that your continuing presence in Israel and the Palestinian Territories will bear much fruit in promoting peace and mutual respect among all the peoples who live in the lands of the Bible.” (SL) (Agenzia Fides 12/5/2009)
