change language
you are in: home - ecumenis...dialogue - internat...or peace - barcelona 2010 - news fro... meeting newslettercontact uslink

Support the Community

  
October 4 2010

Gregorios III Laham, Greek Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and Jerusalem: "Do not make Jerusalem a political capital. It's a sacred space that must remain the capital of faiths"

 
printable version

Gregorios III Laham, patriarch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, has lived in Jerusalem for almost twenty years, and speaking about this city says forcefully: "Jerusalem is the capital of our faith. Point. I ask you: Jews, Palestinians, Arabs, Americans, Europeans, do not make a political capital! It does not make a municipality, which you will be the directors, statutory auditors. "

So Laham spoke at the meeting of Sant'Egidio in Barcelona, during a panel on the city of the three faiths. "Why do you want to make it a political capital? I know that I'm saying this out of all the opinions. I am, as they say in Arabic, a bird that sings a different melody from the melody of all the other birds. I am an Arab Christian and I am completely behind my Palestinian brothers. I have always affirmed the right of both the peoples, Palestinians and Israelis, to have a homeland, a nation. Starting from this point, despite all the legitimate aspirations of Jews, Christians, Muslims, I say: do not usurp the right of God on this town".

For Laham: "No nation has power over Jerusalem, it is haram, sacred. You have to understand what has been said about the prophets in Jerusalem. We must not denigrate this word, result of divine inspiration, or create a caricature of it, devalue it, make it meaningless by interpreting it with a political decision, or ethnic origin. With the Israeli-Palestinian conflict over Jerusalem the word of God has been politicized and manipulated. It has lost its beauty, its sublime and divine character... Remove your hands from Jerusalem! Above all you, politicians. Complied with the plan, the economy of God on it. It is not your feud your domain, your property. "


 ALSO READ
• NEWS
October 11 2017
HAVANA, CUBA

Religions gather in Havana to open Paths of Peace in Cuba

IT | EN | ES | DE | NL | ID
September 25 2017
JOS, NIGERIA

The Spirit of Assisi in Nigeria: in Jos Christians and Muslims in dialogue to open new Paths of Peace

IT | EN | ES | DE | CA
September 22 2017
MÜNSTER, GERMANY

Paths of Peace: textes, videos and news of the International Meeting of prayer for peace of Münster

IT | EN | ES | FR | CA
September 14 2017

At the Roots of Terrorism. VIDEO

IT | EN | FR
September 12 2017
MÜNSTER, GERMANY

#pathsofpeace: world religions launch a movement to prevent conflicts. Next year's appointment in Bologna

IT | EN | NL
September 12 2017
OSNABRÜCK, GERMANY

Closing ceremony of Paths of Peace: all the interventions

IT | EN | ES | DE | CA | NL
all the news
• PRINT
February 23 2018
Domradio.de

"Wir können Frieden organisieren wie andere den Krieg"

February 2 2018
el Periódico

La brújula de los sintecho

February 1 2018
La Vanguardia

La dificultad de acceso a vivienda aumenta el riesgo de pobreza en Barcelona

February 1 2018
Flama.info

La Comunitat de Sant Egidi presenta la “Guia Michelin dels pobres” 2018

February 1 2018

La ''Guia Michelin pels pobres'' s'edita per primera vegada com a aplicació de mòbil

February 1 2018
CATALUNYARELIGIO.CAT

Sant'Egidio presenta la versió mòbil de la seva Guia Michelin

all press releases
• EVENTS
January 25 2018

Ökumenischer Gottesdienst in der Gebetswoche für die Einheit der Christen

ALL MEETINGS OF PRAYER FOR PEACE
• DOCUMENTS

ASSISI 2016 - il programma in pdf

Ahmad Al Tayyeb - Oriente e Occidente - Dialoghi di civiltà - Parigi 2016

Andrea Riccardi - Oriente e Occidente - Dialoghi di civiltà

all documents