Vatican
City, 24 May 2013
(VIS) – Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, prefect of the Congregation for
the Oriental Churches will travel to Lebanon from 24 – 28 May,
continuing on to Jordan until 1 June. In addition to attending the
ordination of the new Maronite Bishops of Argentina and Australia on
Sunday, 26 May, he will celebrate Mass at the inter-ritual Shrine of
Our Lady of Zahle with the participation of the Melkite Archbishop
and other pastors of the local Eastern Churches with their respective
faithful. The main intention of the prayer in these circumstances
will be the plea for peace in Syria, Lebanon, and the entire Middle
East.
In
the following days, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental
Churches will meet with the Maronite, Melkite, Syrian, and Armenian
patriarchs as well as some religious communities, especially the
young volunteers of Caritas Lebanon who, along with other
humanitarian organizations, are attempting to deal with the enormous
tragedy of refugees fleeing Syria.
The
visit to Jordan will also be devoted to meeting the pastors and
faithful of the various Catholic communities, especially that of the
Greek Melkite communities in Petra and Philadelphia and the Latin
Patriarchate of Jerusalem, whose territory extends throughout the
country. On Thursday, 30 May, the cardinal will attend the
inauguration of the University of Madaba, belonging to the Latin
Patriarchate of Jerusalem. His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan is
expected to attend. Before returning to Rome, the Cardinal will visit
a camp of refugees who have fled from Syria and other Middle Eastern
regions.
To
all, pastors and faithful, the government and the peoples of Lebanon
and Jordan, reads a press release, “the cardinal will bring the
affectionate greeting, sharing in the worries and the sorrows of
these regions, of Pope Francis, and imparting the Apostolic Blessing
as a pledge of closeness and hope in the Lord for the countries of
the entire Middle Eastern region.”
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