This week we’re unpacking the souvenirs from Pope Francis’ pilgrimage to the Holy Land, including the pending prayer meeting with Mahmoud Abbas and Shimon Peres. We speak to Fr. Thomas Rosica about the symbolism of the papal itinerary and the significance of his gestures during the visit. Late Breaking Update: Shimon Peres and Mahmoud Abbas ...read more

Pope Francis blesses a Palestinian journalist aboard the papal plane on his flight to Amman, Jordan, May 24, the start of his three-day visit to the Holy Land. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)   The Holy Father is welcomed by Jordan’s Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad bin Talal after arrival at Queen Alia International Airport in Amman May 24. ...read more

“He came out and went… to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him” (Lk 22:39). At the hour which God had appointed to save humanity from its enslavement to sin, Jesus came here, to Gethsemane, to the foot of the Mount of Olives.  We now find ourselves in this holy place, a place ...read more

Address of His Holiness Pope FrancisTo the Two Chief Rabbis of IsraelJerusalem, 26 May 2014 Distinguished Chief Rabbis of Israel, I am particularly pleased to be here with you today.  I am grateful for your warm reception and your kind words of welcome. As you know, from the time I was Archbishop of Buenos Aires, ...read more

Address of His Holiness Pope Francis Visit to the Memorial of Yad Vashem Jerusalem, 26 May 2014 “Adam, where are you?” (cf. Gen 3:9). Where are you, o man? What have you come to? In this place, this memorial of the Shoah, we hear God’s question echo once more: “Adam, where are you?” This question ...read more

Address of His Holiness Pope Francis Visit to the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem Jerusalem, 26 May 2014 Dear Muslim Friends, I am grateful for the opportunity to meet with you in this sacred place. I thank you for the courteous invitation you have extended to me and, in particular, I wish to thank the Grand ...read more

Holy Sepulchre, May 25, 2014 “Do not be afraid; for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.” (Matt. 28.5-6) Your Holiness and dearly beloved brother in Christ, Your Beatitude Patriarch of the Holy City of ...read more

Like our venerable predecessors Pope Paul VI and Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras who met here in Jerusalem fifty years ago, we too, Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, were determined to meet in the Holy Land “where our common Redeemer, Christ our Lord, lived, taught, died, rose again, and ascended into Heaven, whence he sent the Holy ...read more

Pope Francis met, on Sunday, with children from various refugee camps who use the services of the Phoenix Centre. The children shared with Pope Francis their hopes for the future and how they experience their living conditions. ...read more

Pope Francis celebrated Mass at Manger Square in Bethlehem. Above is the full video of the Mass and the Regina Caeli after the mass, during which the pope invited Palestinian and Israeli authorities to meet at the Vatican. ...read more