Cardinal Pierbattista Pitsaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, sent a message to conference participants at the John Paul II Catholic University in Lublin, Poland, inviting everyone to pray for peace in the Holy Land.
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Poland, Friday, November 8, 2024 (REI, Vatican Radio): Cardinal Pierbattista Pitsaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, sent a message to the participants of the conference held at the John Paul II Catholic University in Lublin, Poland, inviting all people to Visit the Holy Land. Invited to pray for peace.
Essential elements of peace in Jerusalem
In sending his message to the international conference held at the University of Jerusalem in Poland, entitled “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem”, Cardinal Pierbattista Pitsaballa stressed that the presence of God and the divine presence are essential in the relations between the peoples who They live in the Holy Land. should be visible.
He highlighted that praying for peace in Jerusalem is actually a call for peace throughout the world and said that the biblical prayer for peace in Jerusalem is extremely relevant in view of the complex and challenging situation in the Holy Land.
Mission of the Church in the Holy Land
Cardinal Pierbattista Pitsaballa said: “For us Christians, peace is not only an aspect of the life of the Church, but peace and the pursuit of peace are essential to the identity and mission of the Church. Peace, he said, comes first and foremost. , even before it becomes a work to which God invites us, revealing to us the identity of God.” Therefore “The mission of the Church is to announce God, and to be the face of God, above all, of peace. It’s the face.”
Regarding the mission of the Church in the Holy Land, Cardinal Pitsaballa referred to two images of the Apocalypse contained in the Bible: the tabernacle and the bride. “In a sense, this is the identity of Jerusalem,” he said.
Jerusalem
Cardinal Pitsaballa stressed that Jerusalem, “coming down from heaven,” is the city of God’s presence – symbolized by the tabernacle – a city of intimate proximity to the Creator, represented as the bride.
He said it “tells us what life should be like in Jerusalem.” “The city of Jerusalem, the church of Jerusalem, should be a place where the presence of God is visible and the closeness of God is evident in our actions.”
Urging to pray for peace in the Holy Land, the Cardinal said: “The prayer for peace in Jerusalem is a prayer for peace among all nations, because the soul of all nations resides in Jerusalem and that is where their heart beats.” “. For this reason, he stated, the inhabitants of the Holy Land are called to bear witness to a life of closeness to God and to spread life and hope to others through the love of God.
