Pope Francis has called for peace for Jerusalem and hopes Palestine and Israel can talk peacefully about their establishment.
By
·4 minutes read
REUTERS/Tony Gentile
Pope Francis holds a statuette of baby Jesus during the traditional midnight mass in St. Peter\'s Basilica on Christmas Eve at the Vatican December 24, 2017.
VATICAN, KOMPAS — Pope Francis has called for peace for Jerusalem and hopes Palestine and Israel can talk peacefully about the establishment of two states that live side by side. He made the statement in his Christmas Day message on Monday (25/12).
“Let us pray that the will to resume dialogue may prevail between the parties and that a negotiated solution can finally be reached, one that would allow the peaceful co-existence of two states within mutually agreed and internationally recognized borders,” the Pope said during the Urbi et Orbi (To the City and to the World) message on Monday morning local time in Rome.
The Christmas Day message was conveyed in front of tens of thousands of Catholics at St Peter’s Square in the Vatican. The Pope made the statement in response to United States President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and plan to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Following in the US’ step, Guatemala will also move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. During voting at the United Nations on Dec. 21, 128 countries backed a UN resolution that rejected the attempt to change the status of Jerusalem, nine countries — including the US, Israel and Guatemala — rejected it and 35 countries abstained.
“May the Lord also sustain the efforts of all those in the international community inspired by good will to help that afflicted land to find — despite grave obstacles — the harmony, justice and security that it has long awaited," the Pope said.
Criticizing Trump\'s announcement, Pizzaballa insisted Jerusalem was a city of peace for the three Abrahamic faiths, Judaism, Islam and Christianity.
The pontiff also mentioned other global flashpoints, such as Syria, Iraq, Yemen, South Sudan and Venezuela, after stressing that the "winds of war are blowing in our world." "Let us pray that confrontation may be overcome on the Korean peninsula and that mutual trust may increase in the interest of the world as a whole," the Pope said.
Care for migrants
To around 1.3 billion Catholics worldwide, the Pope also called for the importance of care for the plight of migrants driven out of their countries due to the policy of their state leaders. “We see the trails of millions of people who chose to stay, but were driven out of their countries, leaving their loved ones,” the Pope said.
During a Christmas celebration in Bethlehem, Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa used his homily to lambast the wars that "the Herods of today fight every day to become greater, to occupy more space."
He called on Christians in the Holy Land to stay firm. Criticizing Trump\'s announcement, Pizzaballa insisted Jerusalem was a city of peace for the three Abrahamic faiths, Judaism, Islam and Christianity. There is not peace if someone is excluded, he added. “Jerusalem should include, not exclude," he said at a Christmas celebration attended by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
In Palestine, a scout group played drums during the Christmas celebration in Bethlehem. However, not many tourists attended the Christmas celebration following Palestine-Israel tension. At least 12 Palestinians dead during a fight against Israel troops after Trump’s announcement.
Religious songs were heard from St. Paul Church in Mosul for the first time in four years after the city was taken back from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria in July.
“Not many Palestinian residents nor tourists came for Christmas celebration. The situation was not like Christmas,” said Samy Khoury, administrator of the Visit Palestine portal, who accused Trump of causing the decrease in tourists.
In Iraq, Christians celebrated Christmas north of Mosul. Religious songs were heard from St. Paul Church in Mosul for the first time in four years after the city was taken back from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in July. Muslims in Mosul gave support by standing together with Christians amid candles and Christmas trees.
Kompas/Bahana Patria Gupta
Christians lighting up candles during Christmas Eve Mass at Bethany Church in Surabaya, East Java, on Sunday (24/12). The Christmas celebration carried the theme ‘Seek his Kingdom.’
Indonesia’s tolerance
The calls for peace and the importance to revive interfaith tolerance were also mentioned during Christmas Mass in Indonesia. “The true meaning of Christmas is love, love that knows no border nor background,” Bishop Petrus Canisius Mandagi of the Amboina diocese said in Ambon.
Mandagi was concerned about the massive violence that used religion in several countries, including Indonesia. He hoped Christmas could bring a message of peace to all. “Therefore, wherever we are, we must be able to show peace amid differences of ethnicity, religion, race and social groups,” Isa Almasih Church shepherd Benijanto Sugihono said in his speech in Lengkong Besar, Bandung.
In Jakarta, National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian appreciated the conducive situation during Christmas celebrations in regions across the country. Beside the police and Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel, several mass organizations such as Nahdlatul Ulama’s (NU) youth group Ansor, also participated in safeguarding the celebrations.
“This conducive situation must be maintained. This shows that Indonesia is a tolerant nation adopting the Pancasila and Bhinneka Tunggal Ika principles,” Tito said.
Kelvin Hianusa untuk Kompas
Worshippers light candles while singing ‘Holy Night’ during Christmas Eve celebrations at the West Indonesia Paul Congregation in Menteng, Central Jakarta, on Sunday (24/12).
