After two years of darkness, the city where Jesus was born lit up once again for Christmas. During Midnight Mass, Latin Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa reinterpreted the Gospel in light of the wounds of the Holy Land, in particular Gaza. He also highlighted the "great and real”" responsibility of bringing God's peace to the world. “Christmas does not distance us from history but profoundly engages”, the cardinal said.
For a million Christians from the Philippines, India, and other countries, the "miracle of the Internet" now allows them to discreetly experience the celebrations and rites of their tradition in their own homes. In the fourth instalment of the AsiaNews report, we look at the people who celebrate in the "Church of the Catacombs" in the kingdom where no faith other than Sunni Islam is permitted. Presence and participation are, little by little, overcoming fear and mistrust.
Despite the ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel, the conflict continues on the southern border. Economic and human interdependence in the region is such that when one village suffers, everyone suffers. Garlands and nativity scenes timidly decorate the deserted alleys. The Christmas market at the Sacred Hearts School. ‘For us, it means telling the world that we are here for life.’
This is what the Jerusalem Voice for Justice (JVJ) writes in their holiday message, whose members include Catholic Patriarch Emeritus Michel Sabbah, Greek Orthodox Archbishop Atallah Hanna, Lutheran Bishop Mounib Younan, and Jesuit Father David Neuhaus. Destruction and oppression cannot dampen the desire to celebrate. “We rejoice and celebrate, but with awareness and caution for every day we are exposed to the danger of death and war”.
The cardinal is visiting Christian communities in Gaza, ravaged by more than two years of war. Tomorrow, the traditional solemn Mass will be celebrated, with a focus on rebuilding and healing hearts. The patriarchs and heads of Christian Churches in Jerusalem have issued an appeal to Israeli authorities for Gaza’s sick children, asking for them to be cared for at the Augusta Victoria Hospital.
In the third instalment of AsiaNews’ report from the Gulf, Monsignor Bernardi reflects on the richness each person brings to the celebrations of Catholic communities composed of people from many different backgrounds. There are numerous challenges: from internal disputes among the Syro-Malabars to the need for formation that prevents faith from slipping into mere devotionalism. Local and universal jubilees are experienced with “dynamism and creativity”.
