Peace message for the New Year: hopes and challenges in Jerusalem

Peace message for the New Year: hopes and challenges in Jerusalem

Jerusalem, Israel - Jerusalem, the epicentral symbol of the conflict and hope for peace, is again in the spotlight. The Latin patriarch by Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, expressed his concern about the current situation in the Holy Land, which he described as "one of the worst moments in terms of peace". In his New Year's sermon, he appealed to Christians to promote the true peace that arises from love. According to kathpress be real peace "never simply the result of human agreements", but require real devotion, personal response to put back. Pizzaballa criticized the unsuccessful attempts to preach peace without actually listening to the sources of peace, and underlined that violence and political instability repeatedly corn through the search for a just peace solution.

Jerusalem: City of Blood and Hope

Despite the continuing conflict, Jerusalem remains a central attraction for pilgrims from all over the world. watv.org describes the city as a "lively scene of the gospel", where the traces of Jesus are still visible today. But the city also sees the inheritance of bloody religious arguments. Historical conflicts led to Jerusalem not only referred to as the "city of peace", but also as the "slaughterhouse of religions". Muslims, Jews and Christians claim the holy sites and the city remains a focal point of international tensions.

The view of peace is made difficult by the deeply rooted religious and political differences that are anchored in the history of the city. Nevertheless, the pursuit of peace and a fair balance in the Holy Land remains of central importance for the people living there and those who go there on pilgrims. In view of these pressing questions, religious leaders such as PizzaBalla call up to work for understanding and dialogue in order to promote uncertain peace and hope for reconciliation.