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DLIONI
WA's only Catholic weekly newspaper
Pope John Paul II prays at the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest site, last Sunday, 26 March in Jerusalem. He became the first Pope in history to pray at the wall.
Pi grim Po e prays JERUSALEM (CNS) -- With slow but Judaism. The stooped pontiff stood and placed determined steps, Pope John Paul II made his trembling hand upon the massive stone his long-desired pilgrimage to the Holy blocks of the 2,000-year-old wall, as Jews have Land, preaching peace and reconciliation done for centuries. As is the Jewish practice, he left a prayer among the region's peoples and religions. written on a piece of paper in a crevice From the heights of Mount Nebo in Jordan between the stones. to the shores of the Sea of Galilee in Israel, The prayer was the same he recited earlier the Pope visited holy sites of the Old and in the month at the Vatican, asking God's forNew Testaments, making dramatic gestures giveness for Christians who have "caused of respect for Jews and Muslims and plead- these children of yours to suffer." ing for the unity of Christians. The prayer is to be put on display at the Walking carefully through a minefield of museum at Israel's Holocaust memorial, Yad political sensitivities, Pope John Paul also Vashem. urged a renewed conunitment to the Middle Rabbi Michael Melchior, a member of the East peace process, guaranteeing the security Israeli Cabinet, welcomed the Pope to the wall, of Israel but also satisfying the Palestinians' saying the Pope's visit confirmed the Catholic right to a homeland. Church's commitment to "end the era of The 20-26 March trip culminated in hatred, humiliation and persecution of the Jerusalem with visits to the city's holiest Mus- Jewish people." lim, Jewish and Christian sites. He also said the time had come for all sides While at every step he made overtures to to "end the manipulation of the sanctity of other religions and other Cluistian Churches, Jerusalem for political gain." he brought energy to his own personal prayers The Pope's visit was plagued by Israelis and at churches marking the site of the Angel Palestinians using speeches to the Pope to Gabriel's Annunciation to Mary in Nazareth, trade claims to the city as their own capital. Jesus' birth in Bethlehem and, especially, Just before visiting the Western Wall, the Jesus' death in Jerusalem. Pope met with the grand mufti of Jerusalem, In fact, instead of resting before going to the Sheik Ikrema Sabri, who asked the Pope to airport, the Pope returned to the Church of the promote the end of "Israeli occupation of Holy Sepulchre to pray at what is believed to Jerusalem." be the site of Jesus' crucilbdon, death and resThe Pope told Muslim leaders at the al-Aqsa urrectim The Pope brought the same inten- Mosque complex that the city was the comsity.111 prayer with him last Sunday, 26 March, mon patrimony of Jews, Christians and Musto J salem's Western Wall, the holiest site of lims.
Photo: CNS
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Pope John Paul's last appointment in Israel was his celebration of Mass in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which he described as I "the most hallowed place on earth." Before the Mass, the Pope kissed the rock marking the place where Jesus' dead body was anointed, then, stooping down to enter a small cave, he kissed the stone ledge of Jesus' tImb. "The tomb is empty," the Pope said in his Sunday 26 March homily. "For almost 2.00n years the empty tomb has borne witness to the victory of life over death." Another highlight for the Pope was his 25 I. the Solenmity of March Mass at Nazareth on the Annunciation of the "I give thanks to Divine Providence for making it possible for me to celebrate the feast of the Annunciation in this place, on this day," said the Pope. Visiting the lower level of the Basilica of the Ammnciation, he held onto the altar and knelt to kiss the plaque that commemorates the place the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and "the Word was made flesh." Nazareth has been the scene of tensions between Cluistians and Muslims over Muslim plans to build a mosque on a plot of land adjacent to the basilica, but all was calm on tlie day of the Pope's visit to Jesus' hometown. I
Continued on Page 2 Mere photos and reports - Pages 2, 6, 9-13, 15, 16 and 19. Editorial - Page 7
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