VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
YEAR XXIV - # 96
DATE 24-05-2014

Summary:
- POPE FRANCIS' PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOLY LAND BEGINS IN JORDAN
- OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

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 POPE FRANCIS' PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOLY LAND BEGINS IN JORDAN
 Vatican City, 24 May 2014 (VIS) - Today the Pope began his pilgrimage to the
Holy Land, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the encounter between Pope
Paul VI and the Patriarch Athenagoras in Jerusalem. The aeroplane carrying the
Holy Father departed at 8.15 from Rome's Fiumicino airport and landed at 1
p.m. local time, midday in Rome, in the "Queen Alia" airport of Amman, Jordan.
 The Pope was welcomed upon arrival by the representative of King Abdullah II,
Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad, along with the Patriarch of Jerusalem of the
Latins, His Beatitude Fouad Twali and the Custodian of the Holy Land, Fr.
Pierbattista Pizzaballa, O.F.M. A child offered him a black orchid, the flower
that symbolises the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Following a brief
conversation with the representative of the monarch in the Royal Pavilion, the
Pope transferred by car to the Al-Husseini Royal Palace of Amman, where King
Abdullah II and Queen Rania awaited him.
 During Paul VI's visit to the Holy Land in 1964, King Hussein, father of the
current monarch, accompanied the Pope to the doors of Jerusalem. Abdullah II
welcomed St. John Paul to the Holy Land in 2000, and Pope Benedict XVI in
2009; in return, he has been received twice by Pope Francis, first in 2013 and
again in April this year.
 Following a short private meeting with the king and his family, Francis
entered the palace hall where he was awaited by around three hundred people,
including the kingdom's highest authorities, representatives of the diplomatic
corps and the main leaders of other religions, and he gave his first address
in the Holy Land. He remarked first that Jordan is a land "rich in history and
with great religious significance for Judaism, Christianity and Islam".
 He continued, "Jordan has offered a generous welcome to great numbers of
Palestinian and Iraqi refugees, as well as to other refugees from troubled
areas, particularly neighbouring Syria, ravaged by a conflict which has lasted
all too long. Such generosity merits the appreciation and support of the
international community. The Catholic Church, to the extent of its abilities,
has sought to provide assistance to refugees and those in need, especially
through Caritas Jordan. While acknowledging with deep regret the continuing
grave tensions in the Middle East, I thank the authorities of the Kingdom for
all that they are doing and I encourage them to persevere in their efforts to
seek lasting peace for the entire region. This great goal urgently requires
that a peaceful solution be found to the crisis in Syria, as well as a just
solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
 The Holy Father took the opportunity to reiterate his "profound respect and
esteem for the Muslim community and my appreciation for the leadership of His
Majesty the King in promoting a better understanding of the virtues taught by
Islam and a climate of serene coexistence between the faithful of the
different religions", adding, "You are known as a man of peace and a
peacemaker. I am grateful that Jordan has supported a number of important
initiatives aimed at advancing interreligious dialogue and understanding
between Jews, Christians and Muslims. I think in particular of the Amman
Message and the support given within the United Nations Organisation to the
annual celebration of World Interfaith Harmony Week".
 He addressed an affectionate greeting to the Christian communities "present
in Jordan since apostolic times, contributing to the common good of the
society of which they are fully a part. Although Christians today are
numerically a minority, theirs is a significant and valued presence in the
fields of education and health care, thanks to their schools and hospitals.
They are able to profess their faith peaceably, in a climate of respect for
religious freedom. Religious freedom is in fact a fundamental human right and
I cannot fail to express my hope that it will be upheld throughout the Middle
East and the entire world. The right to religious freedom 'includes on the
individual and collective levels the freedom to follow one's conscience in
religious matters and, at the same time, freedom of worship... the freedom to
choose the religion which one judges to be true and to manifest one's beliefs
in public'. Christians consider themselves, and indeed are, full citizens, and
as such they seek, together with their Muslim fellow citizens, to make their
own particular contribution to the society in which they live".
 He concluded his discourse by invoking "peace and prosperity upon the Kingdom
of Jordan and its people. I pray that my visit will help to advance and
strengthen good and cordial relations between Christians and Muslims", and,
citing the King's discourse, he prayed that God might free all from fear of
change. He thanked the King and Queen for their courteous welcome and
concluded, "May the Almighty and Merciful God grant happiness and long life to
Your Majesties, and may he bless Jordan abundantly. Salaam!"

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 OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
 Vatican City, 24 May 2014 (VIS) - The Holy Father has- appointed Msgr. Franco
Maria Giuseppe Agnesi, Fr. Paolo Martinelli, O.F.M. Cap., and Msgr.
Pierantonio Tremolada as auxiliaries of the archdiocese of Milan (area 4,208,
population 5,451,090, Catholics 4,970,975, priests 2,783, permanent deacons
131, religious 7,318), Italy.
 - Msgr. Franco Maria Giuseppe Agnesi was born in Milan, Italy in 1950 and was
ordained a priest in 1974. He has served in a number of pastoral and
administrative roles, including vice-rector of the seminary of Saronno,
diocesan assistant for the youth sector of Catholic Action, general diocesan
assistant for Catholic Action and head of youth pastoral, head of the
Federation of Milanese Oratories, pro vicar general and moderator of the Curia
for the archdiocese of Milan, president of the Council of Economic Affairs,
and president of Caritas Ambrosiana, priest of the parish of San Giovanni
Battista in Cesano Boscone and dean of the deanery of Cesano Boscone, provost
of Busto Arsizio and dean of the deanery of Busto Arsizio. He is currently
episcopal vicar of Zone II (Varese) and member of the Milan Episcopal Council.
In 1995 he was named Prelate of Honour of His Holiness.
 - Fr. Paolo Martinelli, O.F.M. Cap., was born in Milan, Italy in 1958 and was
ordained a priest in 1985. He holds a doctorate in theology from the
Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, and has served in a number of academic
and administrative roles, including: extraordinary professor and subsequently
president of the Franciscan Institute of Spirituality at the "Antonianum"
Pontifical Athenaeum in Rome" University, consultor of the Congregation for
the Doctrine of the Faith, and consultor for the General Secretariat of the
Synod of Bishops.
 - Msgr.Pierantonio Tremolada was born in Lissone, Italy in 1956 and was
ordained a priest in 1981. He holds a degree in sacred scriptures from the
Pontifical Biblical Institute, and has served in the following academic and
pastoral roles: lecturer in theology and the archiepiscopal seminary of
Venegono Inferiore, rector responsible for the formation of permanent deacons,
and collaborator for the continuing formation of the clergy (young clergy). He
is currently episcopal vicar for evangelisation and the sacraments. He was
named Prelate of Honour of His Holiness in 2012.

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