Patriarchs and Heads of Churches Unite in One Voice
JERUSALEM, APR 20 (ZENIT.org).- Patriarchs and heads of Churches of the Holy City, including Orthodox, Catholics (Oriental and Latin Rites) and Protestants, have taken the opportunity of the Easter celebration to send a common message to their faithful. The gesture has precedents; for several years they have addressed the members of the Mother Church in Jerusalem for the two principal liturgical feasts: Christmas and Easter, but this time the gesture has special significance.
First of all, because this is the Jubilee Year, which all Christians are celebrating together in Jerusalem. Second, because the document has all the characteristics of a pastoral letter. Therefore, it is an event of great ecumenical significance, which confirms the determination expressed on December 4 in Bethlehem, when Christian leaders opened the Jubilee Year 2000 together. On that occasion, they committed themselves to continue on the road to reconstruct unity in a spirit of repentance for the faults of the past and to offer one another "more love and more peace."
In their message the Patriarchs and heads of Churches in the Holy City express the desire that all, including religious and civil authorities, will commit themselves "to remove the obstacles that are placed on the road of a just and general peace for our region," the Holy Land, "whose heart is the city of Jerusalem."
The first part of the message expresses the joy over the manifestations of solidarity received by "our Christian community" during these Jubilee months. Among other things, they mention the visit of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchs and Archbishops which occurred between January 6 and 7 when they celebrated Christmas in Bethlehem (among them was the ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I). They are also grateful for the visit of Armenian Orthodox Patriarch Karekin II, who also came to these lands to celebrate Christmas. Finally, they highlight John Paul II's pilgrimage to the Holy Land from March 20-26. All these events, they explain, "have given testimony of the life and presence of the local Christian Church in this Land, and have reinforced hope in our future, in spite of the arduous road on the path of peace."
These are reflections on brotherly love that flow from the mystery celebrated during these days by Christians: "We want to show that Jesus' death on the cross was not in vain and that his glorious Resurrection is not weakened with the passing of the centuries."
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