Loading...
Loading...
Click here if you don’t see subscription options
Palestinian sells souvenirs to cars passing through checkpoint at Israeli separation wall in Bethlehem.

Ending a year that saw a papal visit, a war in Gaza and the resumption of unrest in Jerusalem, Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal’s Christmas message condemned all instances of violence. “We condemn the Gaza war and deplore its dramatic consequences, killing and destruction, but at the same time, we condemn any category of violence and retaliation against innocent people, such as the killing of people praying in a synagogue and attacks against mosques,” the statement said. “Unfortunately, our beloved holy city of Jerusalem has been flowing with blood and tears. We do not want any religious antagonism in the holy city, whose vocation is to be the city of peace and interreligious coexistence,” the patriarch said, urging Israeli and Palestinian leaders to “find and facilitate a solution.”

Comments are automatically closed two weeks after an article's initial publication. See our comments policy for more.

The latest from america

Pope Francis, after opening the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, gives his homily during the Christmas Mass at Night Dec. 24, 2024. (CNS photo/Lola Gomez)
‘If God can visit us, even when our hearts seem like a lowly manger, we can truly say: Hope is not dead; hope is alive and it embraces our lives forever!’
Pope FrancisDecember 24, 2024
Inspired by his friend and mentor Henri Nouwen, Metropolitan Borys Gudziak, leader of Ukrainian Catholics in the U.S., invites listeners in his Christmas Eve homily to approach the manger with renewed awe and openness.
PreachDecember 23, 2024
A Homily for the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, by Father Terrance Klein
Terrance KleinDecember 23, 2024
While Chesterton wrote on a vast number of subjects, Christmas was a favorite.
Maria Wiering - OSV NewsDecember 23, 2024