Pope Commits To Holy Land Trip In May

Pope Benedict XVI has confirmed that he will travel to holy sites in Israel and the Palestinian Territories from May 11 to May 15, marking only the second time a pope has traveled to the Holy Land, and the first trip for Pope Benedict, reports Ha'aretz.

The pilgrimage has been in the works for quite some time, but the announcement of the dates was postponed because of the controversy surrounding the recent appointment of Bishop Richard Williamson who denied the extent of the Holocaust. The Church hopes the trip will help mend relations with Israel after the recent controversies, reports AFP.

The Pope will visit Nazareth, Bethlehem and Jerusalem, stopping to pray for peace in the region at the sites where Jesus once prayed, Ha'aretz reports.

Benedict told a crowd gathered in St. Peter's Square for the traditional noontime blessing that he was asking the faithful for their spiritual support for the Holy Land pilgrimage.

"I will make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land to ask the Lord, by visiting the places sanctified by his earthly passage, for the precious gift of unity and peace for the Middle East and for all humanity. I am counting on the spiritual support of all of you, and may God accompany me, support me, and bless with his Grace all those who I meet on my way," the pontiff said.

Specifically, Pope Benedict XVI will visit Qasr el-Yahud, where it is believed Jesus was baptized, the "Jesus Trail" between Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee, and the Good Samaritan site, reports The Gulf Times.

The Pope will skip the Holocaust Museum in Israel, though, says CNN.

The museum includes controversial wording that reflects a long-running dispute over the role of Pope Pius XII during World War II.

The pope will visit the memorial section of Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, but will not step inside the museum part, the envoy, papal nuncio Antonio Franco, said at a news conference in Jerusalem.

The trip, which is classified as "high priority," will cost Israel NIS 43 million, or more than $10 million to renovate the sites before the papal visit, reports the Jerusalem Post.

The tourism industry hopes that the papal visit will be a moneymaker for Israel, as more than 40,000 pilgrims are expected to follow the Pope on his visit, reports Ynet News.

Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Israel in May is expected to generate $50 million in revenues to the Israeli tourism industry, Paul Milwizki, general manager of the Regency Hotel Jerusalem said this week. He added that at least 40,000 pilgrims were expected to arrive in the country during the Pope's stay here.

According to Milwizki, all 6,700 hotel rooms in the capital have already been booked for the week of May 8-15 2009, and hotels in the Dead Sea area, the outskirts of Jerusalem, Nazareth, Tiberias and Tel Aviv are also forecast to enjoy full occupancy during the visit.

For reactions to news of the papal visit to Israel, watch here:

Comments

[Macready]

oh dear . . . the unholy man will visit the unholy land . . . dah

[balickistan]

what a stretch for a catholic. maybe the nazi youth member would burst into flames upon entering the museum.

maybe pope adolf can explain some of his views as he sits outside. i hope no innocents are struck by lightning. with the logic he has used recently, i swear "mein kampf," is still a primer he uses to reference.

[sasson]

"What a stretch for a Catholic."--Are you attacking all Catholics?

[Cherie Clark]

What a childish comment which lacks any insight whatsoever. Aipac paying you too?

[HowietheScreamer]

Over the top? Maybe, but Benedict WAS an HJ, and WAS a Wehrmacht soldier fighting FOR the NAZIs. These facts are indisputable.

[Hirnlego]

To be fair.. I don't think he had a choice.

He did however have a choice whether to protect the pedo-priests or not.. and choose to. There's more (of course) but I'll end right here.

[barrycourage]

The article says that the Pope will visit Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial, but not tour the adjacent museum because of the dispute over the Catholic Church's activities during WWII.

The CC recently excommunicated--as extreme a punishment one could get in the CC-- a bishop who is a vehement denier of the Holocaust. I think it did that to disassociate itself with Holocaust denial as much as possible. To me, and I am Jewish, the idea of cutting off someone from the pathway to Christ contradicts the idea that sinners should be given spiritual access to forgiveness and salvation.

Smacks of politics and public relations.

Similarly, the leadership of the Catholic Church played politics with the Nazis for the sake of the church's survival. However, many Catholics were murdered by the Nazis in the Holocaust, many protected Jews, and many played a part in the resistance.

Don't throw out the communicants with the hierarchy.

[naschkatze]

I think you are saying that there were Catholics among the Righteous as well as Catholic victims in WWII. It's too bad that this pope is tarring all Catholics with his behavior. BTW, I think John Paul II not only visited Yad Vashem but also the museum, and I remember him apologizing for the church's actions or inaction, however you want to look at it. Many in the hierarchy did not like his apologies.

[Oseille]

Do I read some kind of defensive reaction?

[barrycourage]

What exactly makes you think so?

[SusanStoHelit]

Really foolish - either foolish, or showing a true hostility towards Jews.

I see two simple choices. Either he still holds Nazi beliefs - and that's the real reason not to see the museum.... or ...... he's mind-bogglingly tone-deaf and stupid and doesn't realize that just after he's brought back in a bishop who is a holocaust denier, gotten a ton of bad publicity, a little bit more bad publicity because he chooses not to visit the museum is just going to push the idea that the church is anti-semitic even further.

[HowietheScreamer]

Ratzinger was HJ... do the math.

[Matt SF]

You know there is plenty to criticize the church and in particular this pope without misrepresenting the facts. "controversy surrounding the recent appointment of Bishop Richard Williamson who denied the extent of the Holocaust." To what was he "appointed" - sounds like the pope is sanctioning this when he is not. Richard Williamson hasn't been appointed to anything. His excommunication has been revoked - but he is still barred from assuming the position of Bishop as long as he continues to hold his views.

get your facts straight before stirring up unwarranted anger toward the church - there is plenty to legitimately be upset with - we don't need to mischaracterize or make things up.

[balickistan]

make things up?

every week they seem to come out with their own versions, which you can't make up. how stupid can you be. i will rely upon an old school catholic, in her sixties, who summed it up nicely with, "how the f#(k can they elect a german when they are complicit with that much killing?"

well, a quick assumption, but they are guilty, like the nazis, for crimes from ww2, and the hiding of war criminals.

[samesame]

That's because of this

http://nobeliefs.com/nazis.htm

[joebaggadonuts]

I'm not sure what you are getting at, but thanks for the link.

I was impressed with the Concordant:
"Article 16

Before bishops take possession of their dioceses they are to take an oath of loyalty either to the Reich governor of the state (Land) concerned or to the President of the Reich respectively, according to the following formula:

"Before God and on the Holy Gospels I swear and promise, as becomes a bishop, loyalty to the German Reich and to the State (Land) of . . . I swear and promise to honour the legally constituted government and to cause the clergy of my diocese to honour it. With dutiful concern for the welfare and the interests of the German state, in the performance of the ecclesiastical office entrusted to me, I will endeavor to prevent everything injurious which might threaten it." "

[krypton86]

Wow. I haven't seen quite a few of those pictures before. I had often heard about the complicity of the
Catholic and Protestant Churches, but we just didn't talk much about it in my WWII classes. Those were some shocking images that I hope more people get to see. If you didn't click the link, you really should.

[DesertZ]

Ratzinger(Benedict) skip the Holocaust Museum in Israel? Gee, what a surprise! So far as pope, Ratzinger has been true to his Hitler Youth background. Why change now?