VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
YEAR XXII - # 98
DATE 26-05-2014

Summary:
- THE POPE ARRIVES IN ISRAEL: ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS, IN PEACE WITHIN
INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED BORDERS
- JOINT DECLARATION OF POPE FRANCIS AND THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW:
OUR COMMON SEARCH DOES NOT DISTANCE US FROM THE TRUTH
- ECUMENICAL ENCOUNTER IN THE HOLY SEPULCHRE: LET US NOT DEPRIVE THE WORLD OF
THE PROCLAMATION OF THE RESURRECTION
- THE POPE AT THE ESPLANADE OF THE MOSQUES: MAY NO-ONE ABUSE THE NAME OF GOD
FOR VIOLENT ENDS
- POPE FRANCIS AT THE WESTERN WALL
- AT THE CHIEF RABBINATE OF ISRAEL: OUR FRIENDSHIP IS ONE OF THE FRUITS OF
VATICAN COUNCIL II
- MEETING WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL: MAY JERUSALEM TRULY BE
THE CITY OF PEACE
- OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

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 THE POPE ARRIVES IN ISRAEL: ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS, IN PEACE WITHIN
INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED BORDERS
 Vatican City, 26 May 2014 (VIS) - Early this afternoon, the Pope visited the
Basilica of the Nativity. The first historical references to this "cave of the
manger of Bethlehem" date back to Origenes. In 326, the emperor Constantine
ordered the construction of a basilica at the over the Grotto of the Nativity,
with its floor raised slightly higher than ground level. Damaged by fire and
the revolt of the Samaritans, it was restored in 540. In 614, the Persians
under Khosrau II invaded the region but left the Basilica intact on account of
its frescoes of the Magi in Persian dress. In 638, the Muslims entered
Bethlehem, which passed to the Crusaders with the entry of Tancred in 1099. In
1187 Saladin occupied Jerusalem and Bethlehem but again spared the Shrine. In
1192, the bishop of Salisbury, Hubert Valter, re-established the Latin cult in
return for payment of a tribute by the faithful. In 1347, the Franciscans
obtained permission from the Ottomans to officiate in the Basilica and
possession of the Grotto and the Basilica. In the sixteenth century there
began a period of disputes between Franciscans and Greek Orthodox regarding
the possession of the Basilica, which changed hands according the favour
enjoyed at the Sublime Porte by the nations supporting the communities. With
the defeat of the Venetians and their expulsion from Crete in 1669, the
Orthodox were authorised to take possession of the Grotto and the Basilica.
The latter is still their property, whereas the Grotto of the Nativity
returned to the Franciscans in 1690. St. Catherine's Basilica, next to the
Basilica of the Nativity, is the parish of the Latins in Bethlehem.
 The ownership of the individual Holy Places is a vexed question that has
given rise to dispute between the communities belonging to the three
monotheistic religions of the Holy Land, and remains a delicate theme for
international chancellors. At the beginning of the seventeenth century, the
struggle between the Byzantine and Latin communities, already heated, began to
be affected by the highs and lows of international politics and the relations
between the powers of the age: the Sultan of Istanbul, who considered the
Christian Holy Places as state property; the Italian Maritime Republics which
protected the Latins; and the Tsar of Russia, traditionally the protector of
Orthodox Churches. Some sanctuaries passed from one community to another, at
times only on the basis of the sum of money offered to the Sublime Porte. In
1850, a French request to the Sultan to clarify the matter led to a further
dispute with Russia, and and a decree was issued from Istanbul in February
1852 to authorise the existing situation in the various shrines. The "statu
quo" virtually froze the claims of the Franciscans in relation to the
expropriations of which they had been victims for centuries, and cost them a
high price in terms of human lives and property. This Ottoman edict remains in
force today and continues to govern the situation in various Shrines such as
the Grotto of the Nativity (Bethlehem), the Cenacle and the Holy Sepulchre
(Jerusalem).
 Pope Francis visited the Grotto of the Nativity, which he reached via an
internal passage between the "Casa Nova" Convent and the Greek-Orthodox
Basilica, and spent some time there in prayer. He returned by the same passage
to the Convent where he was photographed with the Friars. He then proceeded to
the "Phoenix Centre" in Bethlehem, a reception centre in the refugee camp of
Dheisheh; the centre was built as a result of a donation from Pope John Paul
II on his visit in 2000. The Pope was received in the auditorium of the centre
by around one hundred children from the refugee camps of Dheisheh, Aida and
Beit Jibrin. There was a festive atmosphere with singing, and two children
presented the Pope with drawings, letters and craft works. The Pope prayed
with the children, and before imparting his blessing a child read him a letter
in which he said, 'we are children of Palestine. Our parents have endured
occupation for 66 years. We opened our eyes to this occupation and have seen
the nakba in the eyes of our grandparents as they left this world. We want to
tell the world: enough suffering and humiliation!".
 "Don't ever allow the past to determine your lives", the Holy Father
responded. "Always look to the future, work hard and make efforts to achieve
what you want. But you must understand this: violence cannot be overcome by
violence. Violence is overcome by peace! By peace, by working with dignity to
help your homeland to move forward". He then returned to the heliport, where
he was awaited by the president of the State of Palestine who bid the Pope
farewell, accompanied by the Guard of Honour. After a half-hour journey by
helicopter the Pontiff arrived at the International Ben Gurion Airport of Tel
Aviv, Israel, where he was received by Shimon Peres, president of the State;
Benjamin Netanyahu, prime minister; the political, civil and religious
authorities, the Ordinaries of the Holy Land, and a choir of young people. "I
have come on pilgrimage to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the historic visit
of Pope Paul VI", said Francis. "Since then, much has changed in the
relationship between the Holy See and the State of Israel: diplomatic
relations, established some twenty years ago, have favoured the development of
good relations, as witnessed by the two Agreements already signed and
ratified, and a third which is in the process of being finalised. In this
spirit I greet all the people of Israel with prayerful good wishes that their
aspirations of peace and prosperity will achieve fulfilment".
 The Pope went on to remark that the Holy Land is a spiritual point of
reference for as the scene of a multi-millennial history and the principal
events in the origin and growth of the three great monotheistic religions,
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. "So I express my hope and prayer that this
blessed land may be one which has no place for those who, by exploiting and
absolutising the value of their own religious tradition, prove intolerant and
violent towards those of others". He commented that during his pilgrimage he
would visit some of the most significant places in Jerusalem, "a city of
universal importance". "Jerusalem, of course, means 'city of peace'", he
continued. "This is what God wills it to be, and such is the desire of all
people of good will. Yet sadly Jerusalem remains deeply troubled as a result
of long standing conflicts. We all know how urgent is the need for peace, not
only for Israel but also for the entire region. May efforts and energies be
increasingly directed to the pursuit of a just and lasting solution to the
conflicts which have caused so much suffering. In union with all men and women
of good will, I implore those in positions of responsibility to leave no stone
unturned in the search for equitable solutions to complex problems, so that
Israelis and Palestinians may live in peace. The path of dialogue,
reconciliation and peace must constantly be taken up anew, courageously and
tirelessly. There is simply no other way".
 He went on to renew the appeal made by his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI
during his 2009 visit: "the right of the State of Israel to exist and to
flourish in peace and security within internationally recognised borders must
be universally recognized. At the same time, there must also be a recognition
of the right of the Palestinian people to a sovereign homeland and their right
to live with dignity and with freedom of movement. The 'Two State Solution'
must become reality and not remain merely a dream".
 The Pontiff went on to speak about a "particularly moving" part of his stay,
his visit on Monday to the Yad Vashem Memorial to the six million Jews who
were victims of the Shoah, "a tragedy which is the enduring symbol of the
depths to which human evil can sink when, spurred by false ideologies, it
fails to recognise the fundamental dignity of each person, which merits
unconditional respect regardless of ethnic origin or religious belief. I beg
God that there will never be another such crime, which also counted among its
victims many Christians and others. Ever mindful of the past, let us promote
an education in which exclusion and confrontation give way to inclusion and
encounter, where there will be no place for anti-Semitism in any of its forms
or for expressions of hostility, discrimination or intolerance towards any
individual or people".
 He added, "It is with a profoundly saddened heart that I have heard of how
many people lost their lives in Saturday's atrocious attack in Brussels. I
thoroughly condemn this criminal act of anti-Semitic hatred, and commend the
victims to God's mercy and pray for the recovery of the injured".
 The Holy Father remarked that the brevity of his visit necessarily limits the
encounters he is able to make, but took the opportunity to greet all Israel's
citizens and to express his closeness to them, "particularly those living in
Nazareth and in Galilee, where many Christian communities are found". He
concluded by addressing a "warm and fraternal greeting" to the bishops and the
Christian faithful, and encouraged them "to persevere in their quiet witness
of faith and hope in the service of reconciliation and forgiveness, following
the teaching and example of the Lord Jesus, who gave his life to bring about
peace between God and man, and between brothers. May you always be a leaven of
reconciliation, bringing hope to others, bearing witness to charity! Know that
you are constantly in my prayers".

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 JOINT DECLARATION OF POPE FRANCIS AND THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW:
OUR COMMON SEARCH DOES NOT DISTANCE US FROM THE TRUTH
 Vatican City, 26 May 2014 (VIS) - After the welcome ceremony at Tel Aviv
airport, the Pope transferred by helicopter to Jerusalem where, at the
Apostolic Delegation, he met with the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople,
Bartholomew, who was accompanied by three high dignitaries. The meeting was
also attended by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin and Cardinal Kurt
Koch, prefect of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.
 The Patriarch Bartholomew was elected in 1991 as the 270th Patriarch
archbishop of Constantinople, the New Rome and the Ecumenical Patriarch. He
visited Benedict XVI in the Vatican in 2008 and participated in the
celebration of the second millennium since the birth of St. Paul. On 19 March
20123 he attended the Mass of the beginning of Pope Francis' Petrine ministry;
it was the first time since the Great Schism of 1054 that an Orthodox
patriarch was present at the inauguration ceremony of a Catholic pope.
 Following the meeting, Pope Francis and Patriarch Bartholomew signed the
following Joint Declaration:
 "1. Like our venerable predecessors Pope Paul VI and Ecumenical Patriarch
Athenagoras who met here in Jerusalem fifty years ago, we too, Pope Francis
and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, were determined to meet in the Holy Land
'where our common Redeemer, Christ our Lord, lived, taught, died, rose again,
and ascended into Heaven, whence he sent the Holy Spirit on the infant Church'
(Common communiqué of Pope Paul VI and

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