Rome, 16 Aug. (LaPresse) – “Do not be afraid.” This was the appeal made by the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, to the Christian community of Taybeh during the Ferragosto Mass, urging them to remain united. In his address, the cardinal urged the faithful not to give in to fear and despair, forcefully reminding them that even evil today, however powerful it may seem, “does not have absolute power”. The celebration was concelebrated by the parish priest, Father Bashar Fawadleh. In bidding farewell to the Patriarch, Father Bashar said that Taybeh welcomed him “among its people and into its home”. His presence, he emphasised, reminds the community that it is not alone. In his homily, Pizzaballa reflected on the readings for the Assumption, focusing on the woman and the dragon of the Book of Revelation. The passage, he explained, shows that even when evil seems invincible, its power is not unlimited. The Assumption, said the Patriarch, is “a fruit of the Resurrection” and Mary teaches Christians to look at reality “through the eyes of God”. “I may not have answers on a human and worldly level, but I believe in God. And I am certain that, in Him, we can continue to give life, even here in Taybeh,” said Pizzaballa. The Patriarch reaffirmed the Church’s commitment to defending the Christian presence. “We will continue to do everything in our power to preserve the Church’s presence here, at every level, throughout the Holy Land,” he assured.
West Bank, Pizzaballa in Taybeh: ‘We will do everything we can to defend the Christian presence’
Rome, 16 Aug. (LaPresse) – “Do not be afraid.” This was the appeal made by the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, to the Christian community of Taybeh during the Ferragosto Mass, urging them to remain united. In his address, the cardinal urged the faithful not to give in to fear and despair, forcefully reminding them that even evil today, however powerful it may seem, “does not have absolute power”. The celebration was concelebrated by the parish priest, Father Bashar Fawadleh. In bidding farewell to the Patriarch, Father Bashar said that Taybeh welcomed him “among its people and into its home”. His presence, he emphasised, reminds the community that it is not alone. In his homily, Pizzaballa reflected on the readings for the Assumption, focusing on the woman and the dragon of the Book of Revelation. The passage, he explained, shows that even when evil seems invincible, its power is not unlimited. The Assumption, said the Patriarch, is “a fruit of the Resurrection” and Mary teaches Christians to look at reality “through the eyes of God”. “I may not have answers on a human and worldly level, but I believe in God. And I am certain that, in Him, we can continue to give life, even here in Taybeh,” said Pizzaballa. The Patriarch reaffirmed the Church’s commitment to defending the Christian presence. “We will continue to do everything in our power to preserve the Church’s presence here, at every level, throughout the Holy Land,” he assured.