The Embassy of the State of Palestine to the Holy see held a special ceremony to celebrate the restoration of the Nativity Church in the Vatican Museums under the title “Treasures of the Nativity, the Heritage of Humanity”, under the patronage of His Eminence cardinal Pietro Parolin, The Vatican Secretary of State , in the presence of H.E. Ramzi Khoury, President of The Higher Presidential Committee of Churches Affairs and Director General of the Palestinian National Fund, along with His Excellency Dr. Riyad Al-Maliki, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Palestine. Mr. Ziyad Al-Bandak, Chairman of the Presidential Committee for the Restoration of the Nativity Church. Mr. Anton Salman, Mayor of Bethlehem and a group of religious and public figures.
Ambassador Issa Kassisieh, Ambassador of the State of Palestine to the Holy See, welcomed the attendance , stressing the importance of the religious and heritage dimensions of the restoration of the church, praising the role of President Mahmoud Abbas in caring and following this spiritual and humanitarian heritage, also noting his special appreciation for the Vatican museums for hosting this event ,which emphasizes the depth of the relationship between the State of Palestine and the Holy See and the continued support of His Holiness Pope Francis for the Holy Land. Ambassador Kassissieh, expressed his great appreciation for the special gesture of his Holiness by gifting the relic from Jesus’s manger to the Holy Land, in response to the desire of the President, which its arrival coincided with the lighting of the Christmas tree in the Nativity Church square, which brought hope for a better future towards freedom and independence.
In his speech, Dr. Ramzi Khoury conveyed the greetings of His Excellency President Mahmoud Abbas to his Holiness, stating that this year Christmas season begins again with great joy, despite the horrible conditions imposed on the Palestinian people by the Israeli occupation. Moreover, Dr. Khoury appreciated Cardinal Parolin’s role and his efforts to reach an agreement in June 2015 between the State of Palestine and the Holy See.
Dr. Khoury in his speech addressed the Cardinal saying: “Your presence among us today as we celebrate the the renovations of the mother of churches , the Nativity Church, demonstrates the sincere love and appreciation the Vatican has for Palestine and its people”.
On behalf of His Excellency President Mahmoud Abass, Dr. Khoury invited His Holiness Pope Francis to come to the Holy Land next year to participate in the celebration of the occasion of the completion of the renovation works in the Nativity Church.
Cardinal Parolin assured that the restoration of the Nativity Church reflects the splendor and mystery of the birthplace of Christ, which is a renewal of human and fraternal love, expressing the Vatican’s appreciation for this ecclesiastical, human and cultural heritage achievement. The Cardinal considered the success of the restoration of the Church of the Nativity a sign and a testament to the agreement and cooperation between the churches and the authorities.
In his speech, Dr. Riyad Al-Maliki expressed his pride in accomplishing the comprehensive agreement and following closely the spirit of friendship and mutual respect, referring to the olive tree – the tree of peace that was planted under the patronage of His Holiness Pope Francis by His Excellency President Mahmoud Abbas and President Peres hoping to achieve a comprehensive and just peace and dignity to the Palestinian people – evidencing the symbolism of the olive tree to the land of Palestine. Al-Maliki considered that the completion of the restoration of the Church of the Nativity is a gain for humanity, directing his message to the international community to pay attention to the difficulties faced by the Palestinian people and their steadfastness in their land and home despite Israeli policies.
Father Ibrahim Faltas, advisor to the custodian of the Holy Land , spoke about his experiences in Bethlehem on the siege of the church and the city in 2002 to the restoration of the church, taking from the words of His Holiness the Pope “to work to build bridges and not walls”, stressing the importance of the Christian presence In the Holy Land .
During the ceremony, there were musical pieces presented by the artist Milad Fattoula and two films on the stages of the restoration of the Nativity Church.furthermore, Mr.Ziyad al-Bandak and Dr. Ramzi Khoury presented a symbolic gift, which is a historical piece from the roof of the Church of the Nativity given to His Excellency Cardinal Parolin.
Ambassador Khouloud Daibes, a member of the Presidential Committee for the Restoration of the Church of the Nativity, briefed on the stages of the project and its various aspects, especially the technical aspects of the restorations and the mechanisms in which the committee worked since its establishment by presidential decree in 2008, and the committee’s cooperation with all international and local parties that contributed to the completion and success of the project as a treasure and a legacy to mankind.
Below is the full speech of Dr. Ramzi Khoury during the ceremony,
Your Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin,
Holy See’s Secretary of State;
Esteemed Bishops;
Your Excellency Representative of Government and Religious Organisations;
Ladies and Gentelmen;
We have come to you today from the land of Jesus Christ’s birth and resurrection, the land where the fountain of love, freedom and peace, first overflowed. We stand before you vibrant with the spirit of the prince of peace, who by the will of God was born in the city of Bethlehem.
The city of Bethlehem is a source of inspiration, a cultural and spiritual city that radiates with the principles of human dignity. The only people on earth deprived of their basic human rights, Palestinians in Bethlehem and the Holy Land, still yarn for a dignified living. We are filled with hope and expectation that one day soon Bethlehem and Palestine will be free and human dignity will prevail, so that the Palestinians will have a normal life like all the peoples of the world. We convey to you from the land of Palestine the greetings of President Mahmoud Abbas and his best wishes to you, in supporting the freedom and human dignity of nations and disseminating peace and love among the peoples of the earth.
Once again Christmas spreads the seeds of joy from the land of Jesus Christ, and the visit of His Holiness Pope Francis to the Holy Land on 25 May 2014 is awake in our minds and our hearts. It was a very special visit that His Holiness made soon after his elections by the Council of Cardinals. His pilgrimage to the Holy Land, the cradle of the three monotheistic religions, was his first enterprise and this means a lot for the people of Palestine. We can still vividly recall how His Holiness stood before the wall separating the city of Bethlehem that houses the birthplace of Jesus Christ, from the holy city of Jerusalem where Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected. Both cities are a light to our hearts and a haven of salvation for the soul. We can still recall that visit with joy and cheerfulness. And the invocations and prayers of His Holiness to build bridges still reverberate in our ears and fill us with hope that the triumph of our Lord Jesus Christ over death will also be a beacon of hope for the triumph of justice and truth in the land of love and peace, and the realization of fundamental human rights.
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,
Based on the aforementioned, and in light of the hardships we have suffered and are still experiencing, and full of the hope and expectation that our people carry in their hearts, we extend our sincere gratitude and appreciation to Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Holy See’s Secretary of State, for all his unwavering support to our just Palestinian cause.
Your Eminence Cardinal Parolin,
The crucial role your Excellency had in putting the final touches on the Comprehensive Agreement between the Holy See and the State of Palestine has had a deep impact in our hearts and our land. The agreement, signed in June 2015 and endorsed by His Holiness Pope Francis, recognizes the State of Palestine. Your presence with us today as we celebrate the renovation of the mother of churches, the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, demonstrates the sincere love and appreciation the Vatican has for Palestine and its people, and for the Church of the Nativity and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. God made a new covenant with His people, a covenant that is founded on redemption, love, and human dignity as the only way for salvation.
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
A few days ago the city of Bethlehem and the rest of the world celebrated the lighting of the Christmas tree, marking the beginning of ecclesiastical, popular, and national Christmas celebrations and the advent of the Prince of Peace to the land that yearns for peace. But this year is unlike any other year because the Church of the Nativity, the bride of Bethlehem, is ready to wear its new costume. The Church’s ancient mosaics and columns have been restored to their original glory for the first time in 600 years. The renovation would not have taken place had it not been for the tremendous efforts, generous donations, and spiritual support provided by the Holy See. On behalf of President Mahmoud Abbas, President of the State of Palestine, and from the bottom of the hearts of the Palestinian people in the Holy land and the diaspora, we humbly offer our deepest gratitude to His Holiness Pope Francis and the Holy See. We would also like to thank countries and friends from all over the world that have contributed to the accomplishment of this great feast.
In the modest grotto two-thousand-and-nineteen years ago a new covenant came to light. We pray to God that our people will also witness a new covenant next year and, as the Church of the Nativity wears its new costume; our people will wear the costume of freedom, dignity, and independence in their homeland and independent state, with its East Jerusalem capital.
We would like to seize the opportunity provided by this brotherly and historic meeting to carry, on behalf of President Mahmoud Abbas, a special and personal invitation to His Holiness Pope Francis to visit Palestine next year, to take part in the celebration of the occasion of the completion of the renovation works in the Church of the Nativity, the cradle of civilization, humanity, and spiritual values. Let us celebrate together the launching of a new covenant, the essence of which is humanity.
Merry Christmas and a joyous New Year to all.
Dr. RAMZI KHOURY
President of the Higher Presidential Committee of Churches Affairs in Palestine
General Manager of the Palestine National Fund.
