ASIA/HOLY LAND - Catholic Episcopal Commission: pilgrims are messengers of peace between Palestinians and Israelis

Friday, 12 September 2014

Jerusalem (Agenzia Fides) - Pilgrimages to the Holy Land should be encouraged by the Episcopal Conferences around the world also because they represent a form of concrete support for the local Christian communities and because the pilgrims can give an important contribution to the never ending Israeli-Palestinian conflict. For this reason the Bishops' Commission for Catholic pilgrimages to the Holy Land has released a statement with the intent to encourage pilgrims to visit the Holy Places of the land where Jesus lived, putting aside any hesitation or second thoughts after seeing the deaths and the devastation caused by the Israeli military intervention in the Gaza Strip and the missiles in Hamas.
"In recent weeks - reads the text released by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and sent to Fides Agency - violence has again visited the Holy Land. During these weeks of suffering, some groups of pilgrims have canceled their trip. "The members of the Episcopal Commission led by Bishop William Shomali, Patriarchal Vicar of the Latin Patriarchate, insist that even in the days of the military intervention, groups of pilgrims in the Holy Land did not run any risk and that "the pilgrimage itinerary between Nazareth, Tiberias, Jerusalem and Bethlehem has always been and continues to be safe".
Pilgrimages are also an effective way to support Christians in the Holy Land both at a spiritual and material level. Also - says the document - Christian pilgrims "are warmly welcomed by Christians, Muslims and Jews because they are considered in this area of the world as bridges of peace between Palestinians and Israelis". This is also why the representatives of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land encourage "the pilgrims to come and walk where Christ walked, to be partakers with us in our witness of faith" and see for themselves "how they can become part of our dream of peace". The appeal of the Commission is particularly addressed to the Episcopal Conferences of all Countries, so that "dioceses, parishes and associations, spread our message of encouragement to the pilgrims". (GV) (Agenzia Fides 12/09/2014)


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