Pope Francis' trip to the Holy Land this week is being met with high expectations by the faithful and politicians alike. Arriving in Jordan on May 24, before heading to the West Bank and Israel in the two days that follow, the pope will meet with Christian families, as well as political and religious leaders from all three monotheistic faiths.
"The pope [is expected to] tell us ... not to be afraid," said Michel Sabbah, the former Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem. "Whatever our situation is: with our small numbers, persecution, we will remain strong, and that's the message I hope that the pope will give us. [We also hope] he will say a word of justice and peace addressing the political situation."
The trip comes at a time when Palestinian-Israeli talks are at a standstill and a politically-charged environment is prevalent in the Holy Land. There's also a sense of bitterness as anti-Christian "price tag" attacks perpetrated by Jewish extremists escalation
The Christians of Israel are being confronted by a minority of Jewish extremists with hate messages, hate graffiti, threats of violence. Take a look at this link, which includes excellent video footage from Jerusalem including interviews with Catholic Leaders in Israel such as Fouad Boutros Twal who talks about how Muslim and Jewish extremism against Christians has been increasing.
Extremists(believed to be ultra nationalist Othrodox Jews) are spray painting messages of hatred, including Jesus is garbage and Death to Arabs and Christians and all those who hate Israel, on Christian church's.(and proof is in the video)Also, Bishop Giacinto-Boulos Marcuzzo has received death threats. The Bishop accuses the police of doing "nothing and not taking enough steps to stop the nonsense.
Barauch Marzel, who is chairman of the "Jewish Front" has some nasty views about Christians, he "defends" attacks against Christians, because of their "support for Palestine".
Now, one guy who seems to take things somewhat serious is Israeli Policemen Mickey Rosenfield,
[I]Less than 72 hours before Pope Francis departed Rome for the Holy Land, Israeli police issued restraining orders to students planning to disrupt the visit, Israeli police said. The handful of students had "intentions to conduct provocative incidents that would have increased tensions" with the Christian community, possibly including protests and public disturbances, police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld told Al Jazeera.
On the trip itself,
May 25, 2014. (-ONLY VIDEO-) Pope Francis arrived at the Presidential Palace of Bethlehem by car. Once he got out, he hugged Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, and went hand in hand to the place where they listened to the Palestinian anthem. His arrival gives way to the second leg of his trip to the Holy Land.
In charged acts of political symbolism, Pope Francis stopped at some of the holiest sites for Jews and Muslims during a trip to the Middle East. Pope Francis called for renewed peace talks, and became the first pontiff to refer to the "State of Palestine." The visit came just weeks after U.S.-led talks between Israel and Palestinian negotiators collapsed. Jeffrey Brown reports.
Also,
The unity of Christians is a message of unity for all humanity, called to overcome the divisions of the past and march forward together towards a future of justice, peace, reconciliation, pardon and fraternal love.
