DECLARATION ON THE BUILDING OF A MOSQUE IN NAZARETH

VATICAN CITY, OCT 14, 1999 (VIS) - The following declaration was made this afternoon by Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls:
"The decision to authorize the construction of a mosque several meters away from the historical basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth worries both the Secretariat of State as well as the Catholic Church in the Holy Land, as was authoritatively underlined by the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Michel Sabbah, and by all the leaders of Christian Churches. Pope John Paul II sympathizes with everyone and is especially close to the Christians of Nazareth.

"It is hoped that the Israeli government authorities, considering the value that the city of Nazareth has for all of Christianity, will known how to assure respect for the Christian shrine and its free and peaceful access to pilgrims.

"It would not be superfluous to mention that such a situation does not help in preparing for an eventual pilgrimage by the Holy Father to that illustrious shrine, where he should be able to find a city which is the symbol of the traditional and centuries-long peaceful coexistence between Christians and Muslims, and a stimulus for peace which the Holy Land needs so much."

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