Jerusalem's Christian community eagerly awaits the arrival of Pope Francis, whose pilgrimage will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the historic meeting between Orthodox Patriarch Athenagoras and pope Paul VI. The 1964 visit was a major step in reconciliation between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, which have been divided for centuries. The pope's whirlwind visit to Jordan, Israel and the West Bank from May 24 to 26 will include private meetings and visits to historical landmarks and religious institutions. The official delegation includes two longtime friends and partners of the pope from his time as archbishop of Buenos Aires, Rabbi Abraham Skorka and Omar Abboud, leader of Argentina's Muslim community. The participation of these two religious leaders sends a strong message about the importance of interreligious dialogue in a region that is often defined by conflict. According to the official commission, the main focus of the pilgrimage is to encourage unity between Jerusalem's Christian denominations. At its center is the meeting with Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I, renewing the historic commitment to unity made in Jerusalem half a century ago. There will be three meetings between the pope and the Orthodox patriarch, culminating with an interdenominational prayer service inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. This service, which will not be open to the public, is a significant show of solidarity between the Armenian, Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholics, the main denominations sharing the church. Typically, prayer services in the Holy Sepulchre are held separately, and generations of property ownership disputes have characterized the tense relationship between the historic churches. Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi explains, “Back then Paul VI and the patriarch prayed the 'Our Father' together, but not in public. This time around, it will be done publicly and it will be aired internationally. It will be an ecumenical moment with extraordinary symbolism.” Preparations for Pope Francis's visit have been under way for several weeks under the supervision of an appointed commission of the Latin Patriarch, who are overseeing media relations and the logistical arrangements for the pilgrimage. According to a commission member, each parish in Israel and the West Bank received several invitations to one of the papal-led masses, so that representatives from across the country could attend. Special attention has been given to allowing Catholic foreigners and foreign workers to attend the mass. Since the visit will be brief, with limited public appearances and only two public masses, the majority of Catholics in Israel and the West Bank will be watching and following the papal pilgrimage from their televisions. Pope Francis has reportedly rejected the use of the bulletproof “Popemobile” for his Middle East trip, insisting that he travel in a regular car in order to be as close to the people as possible. Expectations are high for the pope's visit, and although the pilgrimage is not intended to be a political one, it will likely havepolitical implications. In addition to promoting unity among the denominations, many are hoping that his visit will serve as a catalyst to refocus dwindling media attention and international interest on the failed regional peace talks. However, Israeli-Palestinian politics will not be the only sensitive issue the pope will be navigating. There has been a marked increase in anti-Christian vandalism or “price tag” attacks in recent weeks. Even though Israel's ties to the Vatican have never been stronger, many of Israel's Christian residents and leaders want the pope to use the opportunity to urge Israel to crack down on the perpetrators and safeguard Christian holy sites. Marie Ahmel, a Catholic living in Israel, says she and many other Christians are angered by the attacks. “We do not feel like outsiders in Israel; we belong here and we don't want to be pushed out. Our entire religious story is based here.” Israel's Ambassador to the Holy See, Zion Evrony, told the Catholic media that the attacks are isolated incidents and that Israel was looking forward to the pope's visit. Evrony is optimistic that the pilgrimage will ease tensions between communities and hopes the pope's message of peace will have an impact. Many are also anticipating that the pope will draw attention to the dire situation of Christians across the Middle East. The Vatican has expressed concern for the diminishing Christian population in the Arab world, and the pope has continually called for peace and an end to the bloodshed in Syria. Pope Francis will visit refugees in both Jordan and Bethlehem, in keeping with his longtime commitment to refugees and other displaced persons. Despite all the speculation, Pope Francis's visit to the Holy Land is not a political one. The meetings between the pope and the Orthodox archbishop in Jerusalem are a symbolic gesture calling for unity and overcoming historic divisions in the very place that Christianity was born. This pilgrimage will undoubtedly serve as a call for dialogue, peace, reconciliation and sustainable change for all communities in Jerusalem and the Holy Land. •
