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Published by
Zenit.org,
November 2, 2004
Why Pilgrims Are Crucial for Christians in
Holy Land
According to Apostolic Delegate in
Jerusalem |
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JERUSALEM, NOV. 2, 2004 (Zenit.org).- The
apostolic delegate in Jerusalem says that the
resumption of pilgrimages to the Holy Land is
crucial to ending the exodus of Christians.
Archbishop Pietro Sambi explained the situation in
the Holy Land to a group of Spanish journalists
who were in Jerusalem on an institutional
pilgrimage.
"Christians in the Holy Land are a small minority,
only 2% of the population," he said. "They feel
themselves a minority in the face of the great
Jewish majority, and the great Muslim majority."
"At the start of the second intifada, Jews
worldwide organized themselves to help the Jews
who are here," the archbishop said. "The Muslims
of the Gulf and other parts of the world organized
themselves to help the Muslims who are here. The
Christians disappeared, and the few Christians who
remained had the impression of being abandoned by
the rest of their brothers."
"Material aid came from many other parts of the
world, with which it was possible to help the
schools to survive, and medical centers to
continue to provide their services, but something
was lacking: the presence of Christians," he
added.
"Look, I am not afraid for the holy places," the
apostolic delegate continued. "To say it in a
rather brutal way, they bring too much money to
the country and they will be respected. But these
holy places will be living places, which help one
to live, while there is a community around them
that believes, loves and hopes. Without that
community, the holy places would be cold museums,
and no longer places of life."
"Pilgrimages are the most complete way to help the
local Christians, the Mother Church of Jerusalem
and of the Holy Land," he said.
"In the first place, it is a spiritual,
psychological and human help," the prelate said.
"Christians here look at pilgrims much more than
the latter look at them, and this presence of
pilgrims makes them say: Here we are few, but look
how many brothers and sisters from many parts of
the world come here. We are all part of a great
family, the family of the disciples of Christ. It
is a moral, human help of the first order."
"In addition to this," he added, "there is also
the material help, because the majority of
Christians of the Holy Land have specialized in
the service of pilgrims: transport, guides,
hotels, restaurants, souvenir shops, etc. And when
there are pilgrims, there is also help for local
Christian families."
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