HOLY SEE: POPE'S CALL FOR PEACE IN LEBANON

UNCLAS VATICAN 000158

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL VT
SUBJECT: HOLY SEE: POPE'S CALL FOR PEACE IN LEBANON



1. (U) Following in para 2 is Pope Benedict XVI's call for
peace in the Middle East, which was delivered at his weekly
Angelus public prayer on July 30 in Castelgandolfo.


2. (U) Begin text:

At these moments I cannot fail to think of the ever more serious
and tragic situation of the Middle East: hundreds of dead, many
injured, a vast mass of homeless and displaced people, cities
and infrastructures destroyed, while hatred and thirst for
revenge seem to be growing in the hearts of many.
These facts clearly demonstrate that it is not possible to
re-establish justice, create a new order and build real peace
when there is recourse to ... violence. More than ever, we see
how much the Church's voice is at once prophetic and realistic
when, in the face of war and conflicts of all kinds, she
indicates the path of truth, justice, love and freedom. This is
the path that humanity today must also follow in order to
achieve the desired good of real peace.
In the name of God I address all those responsible for this
spiral of violence, that all sides immediately lay down their
arms! To political leaders and international institutions I ask
that no efforts be spared in order to obtain the necessary
cessation of hostilities and thus to begin to build, through
dialogue, a lasting and stable coexistence of all the people of
the Middle East. I ask men and women of good will to continue
and to intensify the sending of humanitarian aid to those needy
and much tried peoples. But above all, may faithful prayers to
the good and merciful God continue to be raised from all hearts,
that He may concede His peace to that region and to the world
entire.
I entrust this heartfelt appeal to the intercession of Mary,
Mother of the Prince of Peace and Queen of Peace, who is so
venerated in the countries of the Middle East, where we soon
hope to see the reign of that reconciliation for which the Lord
Jesus offered His precious Blood.
End text.


3. (SBU) Comment: The language of this statement is clearly
heartfelt and urgent, and reflects the great alarm in the Holy
See over the situation in Lebanon. Charge d'affaires has once
again been called to see the acting foreign minister on this
subject -- septel to follow.

SANDROLINI