The President of EU Bishops, Bishop Mariano Crociata, has addressed a letter to Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Cardinal Pizzaballa (pictured), on 19 October 2023, expressing solidarity and closeness with all the people suffering from the devastating wave of violence unfolding in the Holy Land.
The key message of the COMECE correspondence: “We will continue appealing to the EU to make every effort to contribute to a de-escalation of the situation”. In the letter, addressed to His Eminence Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, the President of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), Bishop Crociata, shared his concerns about the devastating violence surged in the Holy Land following the 7 October’s massacre of Israeli civilians.
“We are deeply saddened by the daily reports of the horrors of this war, and keep the victims, as well as their families and communities, in our prayers”, wrote Bishop Crociata, while expressing EU Bishops’ solidarity and closeness “with all the suffering people”.
In his letter, Bishop Crociata also thanked Cardinal Pizzaballa along with the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem, for their “tireless efforts in calling for peace and justice in the Holy Land”. He assured COMECE’s commitment in appealing to the international community, including the European Union, to “make every effort to contribute to a de-escalation of the situation”.
In response, in a letter of 20 October, the Patriarch of Jerusalem stated: “There is much suffering and fear in our small Christian community and in both Israeli and Palestinian societies, as violence and hatred produce only destruction”.The Patriarch also appreciated COMECE’s efforts at raising awareness among the international community and thanked EU Bishops for their spiritual closeness.
See links to the letters below.
