蜜桃交友

By Joseph Tulloch

The Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land has welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire in Gaza, and expressed its hope that the truce will put a permanent end to the 鈥渋mmeasurable suffering鈥� caused by 15 months of war.

In a press release, the Assembly 鈥� which is composed of all the Catholic bishops, eparchs and exarchs holding jurisdiction in Jerusalem, Palestine, Israel, Jordan, and Cyprus 鈥� did, however, stress that 鈥渢he end of the war does not mean the end of the conflict鈥�.

What is needed, the Catholic Ordinaries said, is a 鈥渓ong process鈥� to address the 鈥渄eep-rooted issues鈥� at the heart of the conflict.

In this regard, their press release called on the international community to 鈥渄evelop a clear and just political vision for the post-war period鈥�.

Pilgrims and the Holy Year

The Ordinaries also said that they 鈥渆agerly await the return of pilgrims to the Holy Places鈥�.  

Christian pilgrims usually flock all year round to holy sites in Palestine and Israel, but since the outbreak of war in October 2023 they have almost entirely disappeared 鈥� with disastrous economic consequences for local economies dependent on tourism.

Finally, the Ordinaries also referenced the Church鈥檚 2025 Jubilee Year, whose theme is 鈥楶ilgrims of hope鈥�.

At the beginning of a Jubilee Year 鈥渄edicated to hope that does not disappoint,鈥� the Ordinaries wrote, they read the ceasefire as 鈥渁 sign that reminds us of God's faithfulness.鈥�

You can read the full statement from the Assembly of the Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land .