In the Vatican press office this morning, the secretary general of the synod of bishops,
Archbishop Nikola Eterovic presented details of the upcoming synod of bishops on the
Middle East which opens with a Mass in St Peter’s Basilica on Sunday, presided over
by Pope Benedict XVI. Philippa Hitchen reports…
Listen...
The Catholic
Church in the Middle East: communion and Witness – that’s the theme of the two week
meeting which brings together over 300 church leaders, religious and lay experts to
discuss the complex pastoral and political challenges facing the churches throughout
that region. 13 ecumenical delegates from other Christian churches will also address
the synod, as well as a leading Jewish figure, Rabbi David Rosen and, for the first
time, Sunni and Shia Muslim representatives. Among Church leaders I’ve spoken to
already, expectations are running high that this gathering will bring a new vitality
and above all a new sense of hope to Christians in the region Maronite Bishop
Bechara Rai heads the diocese of Biblos in Lebanon :
“The synod for us is a
great hope, even more I’ll say, it’s a new Pentecost…” “Politics is as part of
our Gospel……”
The synod runs here in the Vatican until the closing mass on
October 24th