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

I use a motorized wheelchair and communication device because of my disability, cerebral palsy. Parishes were not prepared to accommodate my needs nor were they always willing to recognize my abilities.
Margaret Anne Mary MooreNovember 22, 2024
Nicole Scherzinger as ‘Norma Desmond’ and Hannah Yun Chamberlain as ‘Young Norma’ in “Sunset Blvd” on Broadway at the St. James Theatre (photo: Marc Brenner).
Age and its relationship to stardom is the animating subject of “Sunset Blvd,” “Tammy Faye” and “Death Becomes Her.”
Rob Weinert-KendtNovember 22, 2024
What separates “Bonhoeffer” from the myriad instructive Holocaust biographies and melodramas is its timing.
John AndersonNovember 22, 2024
“Wicked” arrives on a whirlwind of eager (and anxious) anticipation among fans of the musical.
John DoughertyNovember 22, 2024