Pope Benedict XVI will visit Israel, the West Bank
and Jordan next month not only as a pilgrim to the
Holy Land but also to promote
interfaith relations and to discuss the
possibilities for "promoting peace" with local
political leaders, a media coordinator for
his visit said on Tuesday.
The pope would deliver "a very clear message" to the
leaders and their people about
the importance of trying different methods to
achieve peace, Wadie Abunassar told
journalists during a briefing at the Latin
Patriarchate.
The pope is scheduled to meet
with King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of Jordan in
Amman on May 8, President Shimon Peres in Jerusalem
on May 11, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud
Abbas in Bethlehem on May 13, and Prime Minister
Binyamin Netanyahu in Nazareth on May 14. In
addition, the pope will
meet with spiritual leaders from various religions,
including Chief Rabbis of
Israel Shlomo Amar and Yona Metzger, and
Grand Mufti of Jerusalem Muhammad Ahmad Hussein, to
promote interfaith dialogue.
The pope will also meet in Jerusalem with a number
of representatives from organizations
that promote interfaith
dialogue, where he is expected to deliver a message
"not only of encouragement, but a real push to hold
more activities to strengthen their presence in
society," Abunassar said.
He is also scheduled to speak with religious leaders
in Nazareth, a meeting that is
likely to be followed up by councils for
interreligious dialogue in Rome. In addition,
the pope will visit the Armenian and Greek Orthodox
patriarchates. At the latter,
he will meet with heads of various churches to
promote ecumenical dialogue.
