Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday urged Catholics in China to show courage in the face of persecution, in a Christmas Day message that highlighted tensions between Beijing and the Vatican.
The pope also used his traditional holiday speech, delivered from the central balcony of St Peter’s Basilica to tourists and pilgrims in the rain-soaked square, to encourage people living in the world’s troublespots to take hope from the “comforting message” of Christmas.
He appealed for peace in Somalia, Darfur and Côte d’Ivoire and expressed hope that Christmas might inspire respect for human rights in Afghanistan and Pakistan and “advance reconciliation on the Korean peninsula”.
In recent weeks, tensions have flared between the Vatican and Beijing over the Chinese government’s defiance of the pope’s authority to name bishops, and its insistence that prelates loyal to Rome attend a gathering to promote China’s state-backed church against their will.
“May the birth of the saviour strengthen the spirit of faith, patience and courage of the faithful of the church in mainland China, that they may not lose heart through the limitations imposed on their freedom of religion and conscience but, persevering in fidelity to Christ and his church, may keep alive the flame of hope,” Benedict prayed aloud.
He also prayed for Middle East peace and for Iraqi Christians, many of whom have fled their country to escape persecution and violence, including an attack on a Baghdad basilica during Mass.
He prayed that Christmas would “ease the pain and bring consolation amid their trials to the beloved Christian communities in Iraq and in the Middle East. May the light of Christmas shine forth anew in the land where Jesus was born, and inspire Israelis and Palestinians to strive for a just and peaceful coexistence.”
In Bethlehem, the largest number of pilgrims in a decade gathered to celebrate Christmas, with tens of thousands flocking to the Church of the Nativity for prayers. Over 100 000 pilgrims have poured into the town of Bethlehem, compared to about 50 000 last year, Israeli military officials said. Christians only make up about 2% of the population in the Holy Land today, compared to about 15% in 1950. Visitors entering Bethlehem had to cross through a massive metal gate in the separation barrier that Israel built between Jerusalem and the town during a wave of Palestinian attacks in the last decade.
The Roman Catholic Church’s top clergyman in the Holy Land, Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal, issued a conciliatory call for peace between religions during his Christmas Eve homily in Bethlehem.
“During this Christmas season, may the sound of the bells of our churches drown the noise of weapons in our wounded Middle East, calling all men to peace and the joy,” he said.
In Baghdad, Christians were marking a sombre Christmas in the face of repeated violence by militants intent on driving their beleaguered community from Iraq. Archbishop Matti Shaba Matouka said he hoped Iraqi Christians would not flee the country.
Hundreds gathered at a Baghdad church where Muslim extremists in October took more than 120 people hostage in a standoff that ended with 68 dead. Church walls were pockmarked with bullet holes, plastic sheeting hung instead of glass windows and flecks of dried flesh and blood still speckled the ceiling.
After the siege, about 1 000 Christian families fled to the relative safety of northern Iraq, according to UN estimates.
“No matter how hard the storms blow, love will save us,” Matouka told the gathered faithful. – guardian.co.uk