Pope urges Christians to travel to Israel
In an effort to encourage Christians to venture to ‘pilgrimages of peace,’ Pope John Paul II in an address to the General Assembly of the Italian Bishops Conference in Vatican City called upon Christians from around the world to support the Christian Community in Israel through tourism. In an address to the General Assembly of the Italian Bishops Conference in Vatican City, the Pope urged Christians to visit the Holy Land, and commended the Roman Society for Pilgrimages and the Italian dioceses in general for their fruitful efforts to increase travel to Israel.
Pope John Paul II said: “Many of you have visited personally those places, taking numerous pilgrims with you. It is also a strong sign of closeness and solidarity for the Christian communities that live there and that are in great need of your help.”
In a rare show of solidarity, bearing a torch blessed by the Pope, 15 Italian athletes, 15 Israelis, and 15 Palestinians participated in the Jerusalem-Bethlehem Peace Marathon on April 23.
The Israel Ministry of Tourism stated: “They spanned the distance between Jerusalem, the eternal capital of faith for Christians, Muslims and Jews, and Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus.The event was touted by the Vicar of Rome both as a testament to Israel’s safety and its enduring allure for Christians. “
Vicar of Rome, Cardinal Ruini, told tourism officials: “We came here to the Holy Land and we found a situation not as tense as described by the media. We are aware of the fact that many Christians would like to come on a pilgrimage to the Holy Sites and we say to these people: Come without fear, there is no reason to be afraid.”
Meanwhile, Israel continues its winning streak boasting a 93 percent increase since 2003. Tourism officials said Pope John Paul’s support of religiously motivated travel is a timely reminder to people of all faiths to reconnect with their roots.
Rami Levi, Tourism Ambassador to North and South America, is eager to welcome the pilgrims to Israel. “The vitality of the Christian community in Israel has always been of central importance to the culture and spirituality of the land. I hope Christians throughout the world will continue to connect to their history here, by returning to the Holy Land,” Ambassador Levi said.
*with wire inputs
eTN Headquarter
author: Nelson Alcantara
Travelvideo.TV – your news source for the travel and tourism industry.
June 8, 2004
Posted in: Israel