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Pope Benedict XVI- Apostolic Journey to the Holy Land |
"The
Holy See and the State of Israel Have Many Shared Values"
Address Upon Arriving to Tel Aviv Airport
H.H. Benedict XVI
Ben Gurion International Airport, Tel Aviv, Israel
May 11, 2009
Mr. President,
Mr. Prime Minister,
Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Thank you for your warm welcome to the State of Israel, a land which
is held holy by millions of believers around the world. I am
grateful to the President, Mr. Shimon Peres, for his kind words, and
I appreciate the opportunity that has been offered to me to come on
pilgrimage to a land that is hallowed by the footsteps of patriarchs
and prophets, a land that Christians hold in particular veneration
as the setting for the events of the life, death and resurrection of
Jesus Christ. I take my place in a long line of Christian pilgrims
to these shores, a line that stretches back to the earliest
centuries of the Church's history and which, I am sure, will
continue long into the future. I come, like so many others before
me, to pray at the holy places, to pray especially for peace --
peace here in the Holy Land, and peace throughout the world.
Mr. President, the Holy See and the State of Israel have many shared
values, above all a commitment to give religion its rightful place
in the life of society. The just ordering of social relationships
presupposes and requires a respect for the freedom and dignity of
every human being, whom Christians, Muslims and Jews alike believe
to be created by a loving God and destined for eternal life. When
the religious dimension of the human person is denied or
marginalized, the very foundation for a proper understanding of
inalienable human rights is placed in jeopardy.
Tragically, the Jewish people have experienced the terrible
consequences of ideologies that deny the fundamental dignity of
every human person. It is right and fitting that, during my stay in
Israel, I will have the opportunity to honor the memory of the six
million Jewish victims of the Shoah, and to pray that humanity will
never again witness a crime of such magnitude. Sadly, anti-Semitism
continues to rear its ugly head in many parts of the world. This is
totally unacceptable. Every effort must be made to combat
anti-Semitism wherever it is found, and to promote respect and
esteem for the members of every people, tribe, language and nation
across the globe.
During my stay in Jerusalem, I will have the pleasure of meeting
many of this country's distinguished religious leaders. One thing
that the three great monotheistic religions have in common is a
special veneration for that holy city. It is my earnest hope that
all pilgrims to the holy places will be able to access them freely
and without restraint, to take part in religious ceremonies and to
promote the worthy upkeep of places of worship on sacred sites. May
the words of Isaiah's prophecy be fulfilled, that many nations shall
flow to the mountain of the house of the Lord, that he may teach
them his ways, that they may walk in his paths -- paths of peace and
justice, paths that lead to reconciliation and harmony (cf. Is
2:2-5).
Even though the name Jerusalem means "city of peace," it is all too
evident that, for decades, peace has tragically eluded the
inhabitants of this holy land. The eyes of the world are upon the
peoples of this region as they struggle to achieve a just and
lasting solution to conflicts that have caused so much suffering.
The hopes of countless men, women and children for a more secure and
stable future depend on the outcome of negotiations for peace
between Israelis and Palestinians. In union with people of good will
everywhere, I plead with all those responsible to explore every
possible avenue in the search for a just resolution of the
outstanding difficulties, so that both peoples may live in peace in
a homeland of their own, within secure and internationally
recognized borders. In this regard, I hope and pray that a climate
of greater trust can soon be created that will enable the parties to
make real progress along the road to peace and stability.
To the Catholic bishops and faithful here present, I offer a special
word of greeting. In this land, where Peter received his commission
to feed the Lord's sheep, I come as Peter's successor to minister
among you. It will be my special joy to join you for the concluding
celebrations of the Year of the Family, due to take place in
Nazareth, home of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. As I
said in my Message for the World Day of Peace last year, the family
is the "first and indispensable teacher of peace" (No. 3), and hence
it has a vital role to play in healing divisions in human society at
every level. To the Christian communities in the Holy Land, I say:
by your faithful witness to him who preached forgiveness and
reconciliation, by your commitment to uphold the sacredness of every
human life, you can make a particular contribution to ending the
hostilities that for so long have afflicted this land. I pray that
your continuing presence in Israel and the Palestinian Territories
will bear much fruit in promoting peace and mutual respect among all
the peoples who live in the lands of the Bible.
Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, once again I thank you for your
welcome and I assure you of my sentiments of good will. May God give
his people strength! May God bless his people with peace!
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