Pope Francis: pilgrim in the Holy Land

(Vatican Radio) As the visit of Pope Francis to the Holy Land approaches, the political and security situation in the region is the focus of intense media attention. For Christians, however, the land where Christ lived, preached, died and rose again continues to be a place of pilgrimage. 

Two pilgrims to the Holy Land: the Archbishop of Cape Town, Stephen Brislin, and the editor of South Africa’s leading Catholic weekly Southern Cross newspaper, Gunther Simmermacher, visited the studios of Vatican Radio during a break in their schedule as they completed the Roman leg of their journey. Simmermacher told Chris Altieri that there is great anticipation of the Holy Father’s arrival. “We saw a lot of posters in Bethlehem and East Jerusalem, welcoming the Pope,” said Simmermacher, adding, “especially, of course, among Palestinian Christians.” 

Archbishop Brislin said that, despite the focus of secular media on the politics of the visit, Pope Francis is travelling to the Holy Land as a pilgrim. “Obviously, there are the political implications of the visit,” he said. Nevertheless, “It is a pilgrimage for the Holy Father, and he will be visiting the Holy Places – and in doing so, it will also be, of course, a pastoral visit for the Palestinian Christians.”

Click below to hear more from Archbishop Brislin and Gunther Simmermacher about the visit of the Holy Father and about their own experiences as pilgrims in the Holy Land