After the Regina Coeli, the Pope proceeded to the Franciscan "Casa Nova"
convent, a reception centre for pilgrims, built in 1908 and extended and
blessed in 1986, which is able to host up to 129 people. There, Francis dined
with several families of refugees and Palestinian homeless.

___________________________________________________________

 TO THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITIES: PEACE WILL BRING IMMEASURABLE BENEFITS TO THE
PEOPLE OF THIS REGION AND THE WORLD
 Vatican City, 25 May 2014 (VIS) - At 7.30 this morning the Pope transferred
from the apostolic nunciature of Amman to Bethlehem by helicopter, where he
arrived at 9.20 a.m. local time (8.20 a.m. Rome time); he then undertook by
car the journey of two and a half kilometres from the heliport to the
presidential palace of Bethlehem, where he was received by the president of
the Palestinian State, Mahmoud Abbas.
 Bethlehem is first referred to in the Bible in relation to the death of
Rachel and is identified with the Euphrates (the fruitful). In the sacred
books it is called "Bethlehem of Judea", the tribe to which it belonged. David
was born and consecrated a king by the prophet Samuel there, and with the
birth of Jesus, the smallest of Israel's cities gained worldwide importance
and grew due to the influx of pilgrims. In the year 135, the emperor Adrian
introduced the cult of Adonis but Christianity was restored in 330 by
Constantine. Following the Islamic conquest in 638, the Caliph Omar initiated
a policy of religious tolerance, but with the arrival of the crusading army in
1099, the Muslims devastated the city. In 1100 the crusader king of Jerusalem,
Baldwin I, was consecrated. The Arab reconquest in 1187 and the subsequent
Ottoman occupation marked the decline of the citadel which by 1600 had been
reduced to a small village. At the beginning of the nineteenth century the
city, the majority of whose inhabitants were Christians, began a revival. In
1831, the Pasha of Egypt, Mohamed Ali, conquered the city, and the Muslims,
allies of the Ottomans, were driven out and their quarters burned. Ten years
later, the city fell under Ottoman control once again. Under British rule from
1918, it became part of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in 1946. In 1967,
following the so-called Six Days War, it was occupied by the Israeli army,
along with east Jerusalem and most of the West Bank. Since 1995 it has been
part of the Autonomous Palestinian Territories following the Oslo Accords (now
the State of Palestine). The then-president of the Palestinian Authority,
Yasser Arafat, ordered the construction of the presidential Palace which today
receives the Pope's visit.
 The Holy Father, accompanied by President Abbas, was greeted by various
representatives of the Palestinian Christian communities from the West Bank
and the Gaza Strip, who delivered various messages, and then transferred to
the Great Hall where he was awaited by the Palestinian authorities and members
of the Diplomatic Corps, whom he addressed.
 "For decades the Middle East has known the tragic consequences of a
protracted conflict which has inflicted many wounds so difficult to heal", he
began. "Even in the absence of violence, the climate of instability and a lack
of mutual understanding have produced insecurity, the violation of rights,
isolation and the flight of entire communities, conflicts, shortages and
sufferings of every sort. In expressing my closeness to those who suffer most
from this conflict, I wish to state my heartfelt conviction that the time has
come to put an end to this situation which has become increasingly
unacceptable. For the good of all, there is a need to intensify efforts and
initiatives aimed at creating the conditions for a stable peace based on
justice, on the recognition of the rights of every individual, and on mutual
security. The time has come for everyone to find the courage to be generous
and creative in the service of the common good, the courage to forge a peace
which rests on the acknowledgement by all of the right of two States to exist
and to live in peace and security within internationally recognized borders".
 "To this end, I can only express my profound hope that all will refrain from
initiatives and actions which contradict the stated desire to reach a true
agreement, and that peace will be pursued with tireless determination and
tenacity. Peace will bring countless benefits for the peoples of this region
and for the world as a whole. And so it must resolutely be pursued, even if
each side has to make certain sacrifices", he emphasised. "I pray that the
Palestinian and Israeli peoples and their respective leaders will undertake
this promising journey of peace with the same courage and steadfastness needed
for every journey. Peace in security and mutual trust will become the stable
frame of reference for confronting and resolving every other problem, and thus
provide an opportunity for a balanced development, one which can serve as a
model for other crisis areas".
 He then referred with affection to the active Christian community, "which
contributes significantly to the common good of society, sharing in the joys
and sufferings of the whole people. Christians desire to continue in this role
as full citizens, along with their fellow citizens, whom they regard as their
brothers and sisters. Mr President, our recent meeting in the Vatican and my
presence today in Palestine attest to the good relations existing between the
Holy See and the State of Palestine. I trust that these relations can further
develop for the good of all. In this regard, I express my appreciation for the
efforts being made to draft an agreement between the parties regarding various
aspects of the life of the Catholic community in this country, with particular
attention to religious freedom. Respect for this fundamental human right is,
in fact, one of the essential conditions for peace, fraternity and harmony. It
tells the world that it is possible and necessary to build harmony and
understanding between different cultures and religions. It also testifies to
the fact that, since the important things we share are so many, it is possible
to find a means of serene, ordered and peaceful coexistence, accepting our
differences and rejoicing that, as children of the one God, we are all
brothers and sisters".
 "Mr President, dear brothers gathered here in Bethlehem: may Almighty God
bless you, protect you and grant you the wisdom and strength needed to
continue courageously along the path to peace, so that swords will be turned
into ploughshares and this land will once more flourish more in prosperity and
concord. Salaam!"

___________________________________________________________

 IN JORDAN: POPE RENEWS APPEAL TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY FOR REFUGEES
FROM SYRIA AND IRAQ AND ASKS ARMS DEALERS TO CONVERT
 Vatican City, 24 May 2014 (VIS) - After celebrating Holy Mass in the
International Stadium in Amman, Pope Francis made the fifty kilometre journey
to Bethany beyond the Jordan, which was the centre of the activity of St. John
the Baptist and the scene of Jesus' life. Bethany is still buried and its
precise location remains unknown, although it is perhaps found 200 metres to
the west of the Hill of the Prophet Elijah, where archaeological excavations
have not yet been carried out. The zone is called "Wadi Al-Kharrar"
("melodious valley"), referring to the murmur of the waters of the Jordan, and
is located at 350 metres above the level of the Mediterranean, just a few
kilometres from the point at which the river widens and flows into the Dead
Sea, the "sea of salt" of the Old Testament and the "Sea of Lot" of Arab
manuscripts.
 Upon arrival the Pope was welcomed by King Abdullah II, who awaited him in
the apse of the Latin Church of Bethany before the Jordan, and from there he
went on to visit the place of the Baptism, at the banks of the Jordan, where
he prayed in silence for some minutes and blessed the water. He then entered
the temple where a private sacristy had been prepared. The church is still in
construction and its first stone was blessed by Pope Benedict VI during his
visit to the site of the Baptism on 10 May 2009.
 The Holy Father was awaited in the Church by 600 people, including refugees
and young disabled people, and the Pope mentioned his keenness to meet those
who have had to leave their homes and country "As a result of violence and
conflict. Here in Jordan you have found welcome and refuge. I have wanted also
to meet with you, dear young people who bear the burden of physical
disabilities".
 "The place where we are meeting commemorates Jesus' baptism", he continued.
"Coming here to the Jordan to be baptised by John, Jesus showed his humility
and his participation in our human condition. He stooped down to us and by his
love he restored our dignity and brought us salvation. Jesus' humility never
fails to move us, the fact that he bends down to wounded humanity in order to
heal us. For our part, we are profoundly affected by the tragedies and
suffering of our times, particularly those caused by ongoing conflicts in the
Middle East. I think particularly of beloved Syria, rent by nearly three years
of civil strife which has led to countless deaths and forced millions to flee
and seek exile in other countries".

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