Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Jerusalem (Fides Service) - The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Michel Sabbah sent a message addressed “to all Palestinians and to all Israelis” in which he reiterated the message of the Angels on Christmas day “not to fear or feel insecure” because “a Saviour has been born to you”. Urging the people of the Holy Land to work together to promote reconciliation and peace he said; “God created you not to fear or to kill each other but to love each other, to build and to cooperate together”
The Patriarch wrote: “May the joy, which comes with God's grace fill your hearts as you endure so many sufferings. To all our faithful, to all those who are afraid, those who have among the family members a prisoner or someone under torture, to those who had to face death and to all those who are inclined to fill their hearts with hatred, we say: Purify your hearts; let the joy of Christmas renew your whole life.”.
He had a message also for politicians “who, by their policy, can decide for the life or the death of so many in this land: Be builders of life, not of death. Understand, after such a long time of demolition, death and fighting that these ways could not and will never produce but more demolition, death and fighting. It is time to change ways and to take once for all the good decision to reach justice and peace. Any delay of a solution, with the ongoing injustice under its different aspects, the wall, the gates, the prisons or the assassinations, will only add fuel for violence. When injustice, the cause of violence, ceases violence will stop and security will reign. We hope that we can begin a new period in which all violence will stop on both sides, Israeli and Palestinian alike” he wrote.
Patriarch Sabbah concluded “Our Holy Land thirsts to recover its peace and holiness. So give the two peoples the life, the security and the dignity they ask”. (Agenzia Fides 22/12/2005 righe 25 parole 253)
