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Obama visits Bethlehem
Patheos
The Deacon's Bench
March 22, 2013
By Deacon Greg Kandra
>From CNS: U.S. President Barack Obama, visiting the West Bank city of
Bethlehem, stopped twice to light candles for his family and himself:
first at the Church of Nativity grotto, where Christian tradition
holds that Jesus was born, then at the adjacent Catholic Church of
St. Catherine.
On the last leg of his four-day visit to Israel and the Palestinian
territories, Obama also took time for a few moments of private prayer
and contemplation, said Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III, who
was the first to greet the American leader inside the church,
welcoming him as `a messenger of peace and reconciliation.'
Obama was then greeted by religious leaders according to the Status
Quo protocol that governs holy sites: the custos of the Holy Land,
Franciscan Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa, followed by Armenian
Orthodox Archbishop Sevan Gharibian. Muslim religious leaders and
Palestinian leaders also greeted Obama, who was accompanied by
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas throughout the visit.
Obama viewed the Church of the Nativity's floor mosaics, the Greek
Orthodox liturgical platform, the Armenian altar, the Grotto of the
Nativity, and the statue of the baby Jesus at the Church of
St. Catherine.
Obama prayed again at the Church of St. Catherine, Father Pizzaballa
told Catholic News Service following the visit. Obama also spoke about
the importance of keeping a Christian presence in Jerusalem, said the
custos.
Father Pizzaballa, who explained to the president about the Catholic
community in the Holy Land, described the president as `very friendly,
very simple and not difficult to talk to.'
Obama `said he felt the situation was very complicated but that he
will do his best to help the people here and also to help the
Christian presence,' said Father Pizzaballa.
Patriarch Theophilos described the visit as a `pilgrimage.'
From: A. Papazian
Patheos
The Deacon's Bench
March 22, 2013
By Deacon Greg Kandra
>From CNS: U.S. President Barack Obama, visiting the West Bank city of
Bethlehem, stopped twice to light candles for his family and himself:
first at the Church of Nativity grotto, where Christian tradition
holds that Jesus was born, then at the adjacent Catholic Church of
St. Catherine.
On the last leg of his four-day visit to Israel and the Palestinian
territories, Obama also took time for a few moments of private prayer
and contemplation, said Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III, who
was the first to greet the American leader inside the church,
welcoming him as `a messenger of peace and reconciliation.'
Obama was then greeted by religious leaders according to the Status
Quo protocol that governs holy sites: the custos of the Holy Land,
Franciscan Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa, followed by Armenian
Orthodox Archbishop Sevan Gharibian. Muslim religious leaders and
Palestinian leaders also greeted Obama, who was accompanied by
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas throughout the visit.
Obama viewed the Church of the Nativity's floor mosaics, the Greek
Orthodox liturgical platform, the Armenian altar, the Grotto of the
Nativity, and the statue of the baby Jesus at the Church of
St. Catherine.
Obama prayed again at the Church of St. Catherine, Father Pizzaballa
told Catholic News Service following the visit. Obama also spoke about
the importance of keeping a Christian presence in Jerusalem, said the
custos.
Father Pizzaballa, who explained to the president about the Catholic
community in the Holy Land, described the president as `very friendly,
very simple and not difficult to talk to.'
Obama `said he felt the situation was very complicated but that he
will do his best to help the people here and also to help the
Christian presence,' said Father Pizzaballa.
Patriarch Theophilos described the visit as a `pilgrimage.'
From: A. Papazian