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Church Leaders In Bethlehem Visit

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  • Church Leaders In Bethlehem Visit

    CHURCH LEADERS IN BETHLEHEM VISIT

    BBC News, UK
    Dec 21 2006

    A mass was held in the Grotto, thought to be Jesus' birthplace The
    Archbishop of Canterbury and the head of the Roman Catholic Church in
    England and Wales have arrived in Bethlehem on a Christmas pilgrimage.

    Rowan Williams and Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor said they wanted
    to highlight how Israel's security measures were strangling the town.

    Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor said Israelis and Palestinians needed
    international support to solve their problems.

    Two other church leaders joined them on the four-day visit to the
    Holy Land.

    The two archbishops travelled with Bishop Nathan Hovhannisian,
    of the Armenian Church of Great Britain, and the Rev David Coffey,
    of the Free Churches.

    Jesus' birthplace

    During their visit, they toured the Church of the Nativity and recited
    prayers in the grotto where Jesus is believed to have been born.

    The church leaders are concerned about the effect of the barrier
    separating the West Bank from Israel on Christians living in the
    region.

    Dr Williams said he also worries about an exodus of Christians from
    Bethlehem, changing its historic Christian nature.

    You cannot expect with this intractable position for the Israelis
    and the Palestinians to do it all by themselves

    Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor

    "The sheer variety of communities within the Palestinian areas has
    always been one of its strengths.

    "Co-existence has been easy and often fruitful.

    "If that were to end that would be a very sad signal for the Middle
    East and the rest of the world."

    Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor has previously said the town was "blocked in"
    by the Israeli security wall and checkpoints.

    Speaking on BBC News 24, he said: "You cannot expect with this
    intractable position for the Israelis and the Palestinians to do it
    all by themselves."

    He said the international community needed to help resolve their
    differences.

    BBC correspondent Wyre Davis, who is in Bethlehem, said in a good
    year 50,000 pilgrims would visit Bethlehem, but this year fewer than
    5,000 are expected.

    He said some say this is a consequence of the wall, but Israel argues
    it is because of general violence in the region.
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