After the Regina Coeli, the Pope proceeded to the Franciscan "Casa
Nova" convent, a reception centre for pilgrims, built in 1908 and
extended and blessed in 1986, which is able to host up to 129 people.
There, Francis dined with several families of refugees and Palestinian
homeless.

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 TO THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITIES: PEACE WILL BRING IMMEASURABLE BENEFITS TO
THE PEOPLE OF THIS REGION AND THE WORLD
 Vatican City, 25 May 2014 (VIS) - At 7.30 this morning the Pope
transferred from the apostolic nunciature of Amman to Bethlehem by
helicopter, where he arrived at 9.20 a.m. local time (8.20 a.m. Rome time);
he then undertook by car the journey of two and a half kilometres from the
heliport to the presidential palace of Bethlehem, where he was received by
the president of the Palestinian State, Mahmoud Abbas.
 Bethlehem is first referred to in the Bible in relation to the death of
Rachel and is identified with the Euphrates (the fruitful). In the sacred
books it is called "Bethlehem of Judea", the tribe to which it
belonged. David was born and consecrated a king by the prophet Samuel
there, and with the birth of Jesus, the smallest of Israel's cities gained
worldwide importance and grew due to the influx of pilgrims. In the year
135, the emperor Adrian introduced the cult of Adonis but Christianity was
restored in 330 by Constantine. Following the Islamic conquest in 638, the
Caliph Omar initiated a policy of religious tolerance, but with the arrival
of the crusading army in 1099, the Muslims devastated the city. In 1100 the
crusader king of Jerusalem, Baldwin I, was consecrated. The Arab reconquest
in 1187 and the subsequent Ottoman occupation marked the decline of the
citadel which by 1600 had been reduced to a small village. At the beginning
of the nineteenth century the city, the majority of whose inhabitants were
Christians, began a revival. In 1831, the Pasha of Egypt, Mohamed Ali,
conquered the city, and the Muslims, allies of the Ottomans, were driven
out and their quarters burned. Ten years later, the city fell under Ottoman
control once again. Under British rule from 1918, it became part of the
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in 1946. In 1967, following the so-called Six
Days War, it was occupied by the Israeli army, along with east Jerusalem
and most of the West Bank. Since 1995 it has been part of the Autonomous
Palestinian Territories following the Oslo Accords (now the State of
Palestine). The then-president of the Palestinian Authority, Yasser Arafat,
ordered the construction of the presidential Palace which today receives
the Pope's visit.
 The Holy Father, accompanied by President Abbas, was greeted by various
representatives of the Palestinian Christian communities from the West Bank
and the Gaza Strip, who delivered various messages, and then transferred to
the Great Hall where he was awaited by the Palestinian authorities and
members of the Diplomatic Corps, whom he addressed.
 "For decades the Middle East has known the tragic consequences of a
protracted conflict which has inflicted many wounds so difficult to
heal", he began. "Even in the absence of violence, the climate of
instability and a lack of mutual understanding have produced insecurity,
the violation of rights, isolation and the flight of entire communities,
conflicts, shortages and sufferings of every sort. In expressing my
closeness to those who suffer most from this conflict, I wish to state my
heartfelt conviction that the time has come to put an end to this situation
which has become increasingly unacceptable. For the good of all, there is a
need to intensify efforts and initiatives aimed at creating the conditions
for a stable peace based on justice, on the recognition of the rights of
every individual, and on mutual security. The time has come for everyone to
find the courage to be generous and creative in the service of the common
good, the courage to forge a peace which rests on the acknowledgement by
all of the right of two States to exist and to live in peace and security
within internationally recognized borders".
 "To this end, I can only express my profound hope that all will
refrain from initiatives and actions which contradict the stated desire to
reach a true agreement, and that peace will be pursued with tireless
determination and tenacity. Peace will bring countless benefits for the
peoples of this region and for the world as a whole. And so it must
resolutely be pursued, even if each side has to make certain
sacrifices", he emphasised. "I pray that the Palestinian and
Israeli peoples and their respective leaders will undertake this promising
journey of peace with the same courage and steadfastness needed for every
journey. Peace in security and mutual trust will become the stable frame of
reference for confronting and resolving every other problem, and thus
provide an opportunity for a balanced development, one which can serve as a
model for other crisis areas".
 He then referred with affection to the active Christian community,
"which contributes significantly to the common good of society,
sharing in the joys and sufferings of the whole people. Christians desire
to continue in this role as full citizens, along with their fellow
citizens, whom they regard as their brothers and sisters. Mr President, our
recent meeting in the Vatican and my presence today in Palestine attest to
the good relations existing between the Holy See and the State of
Palestine. I trust that these relations can further develop for the good of
all. In this regard, I express my appreciation for the efforts being made
to draft an agreement between the parties regarding various aspects of the
life of the Catholic community in this country, with particular attention
to religious freedom. Respect for this fundamental human right is, in fact,
one of the essential conditions for peace, fraternity and harmony. It tells
the world that it is possible and necessary to build harmony and
understanding between different cultures and religions. It also testifies
to the fact that, since the important things we share are so many, it is
possible to find a means of serene, ordered and peaceful coexistence,
accepting our differences and rejoicing that, as children of the one God,
we are all brothers and sisters".
 "Mr President, dear brothers gathered here in Bethlehem: may Almighty
God bless you, protect you and grant you the wisdom and strength needed to
continue courageously along the path to peace, so that swords will be
turned into ploughshares and this land will once more flourish more in
prosperity and concord. Salaam!"

___________________________________________________________

 IN JORDAN: POPE RENEWS APPEAL TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY FOR REFUGEES
FROM SYRIA AND IRAQ AND ASKS ARMS DEALERS TO CONVERT
 Vatican City, 24 May 2014 (VIS) - After celebrating Holy Mass in the
International Stadium in Amman, Pope Francis made the fifty kilometre
journey to Bethany beyond the Jordan, which was the centre of the activity
of St. John the Baptist and the scene of Jesus' life. Bethany is still
buried and its precise location remains unknown, although it is perhaps
found 200 metres to the west of the Hill of the Prophet Elijah, where
archaeological excavations have not yet been carried out. The zone is
called "Wadi Al-Kharrar" ("melodious valley"),
referring to the murmur of the waters of the Jordan, and is located at 350
metres above the level of the Mediterranean, just a few kilometres from the
point at which the river widens and flows into the Dead Sea, the "sea
of salt" of the Old Testament and the "Sea of Lot" of Arab
manuscripts.
 Upon arrival the Pope was welcomed by King Abdullah II, who awaited him in
the apse of the Latin Church of Bethany before the Jordan, and from there
he went on to visit the place of the Baptism, at the banks of the Jordan,
where he prayed in silence for some minutes and blessed the water. He then
entered the temple where a private sacristy had been prepared. The church
is still in construction and its first stone was blessed by Pope Benedict
VI during his visit to the site of the Baptism on 10 May 2009.
 The Holy Father was awaited in the Church by 600 people, including
refugees and young disabled people, and the Pope mentioned his keenness to
meet those who have had to leave their homes and country "As a result
of violence and conflict. Here in Jordan you have found welcome and refuge.
I have wanted also to meet with you, dear young people who bear the burden
of physical disabilities".
 "The place where we are meeting commemorates Jesus' baptism", he
continued. "Coming here to the Jordan to be baptised by John, Jesus
showed his humility and his participation in our human condition. He
stooped down to us and by his love he restored our dignity and brought us
salvation. Jesus' humility never fails to move us, the fact that he bends
down to wounded humanity in order to heal us. For our part, we are
profoundly affected by the tragedies and suffering of our times,
particularly those caused by ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. I think
particularly of beloved Syria, rent by nearly three years of civil strife
which has led to countless deaths and forced millions to flee and seek
exile in other countries".

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