Your Excellency,
dear Brothers and Sisters,
We are gathered in this place unlike any other in the world – the heart of the Christian faith – before the Edicule of the Holy Sepulchre, where death was conquered and life triumphed. Here, where the Lord Jesus Christ was laid to rest and from where He rose, every word takes on particular weight and radiance.
In this holy place, which contains the central mystery of our faith, we extend today a greeting filled with joy and respect to you, Your Excellency, as you make your official entrance into Jerusalem as Apostolic Delegate.
You come among us as the representative of the Holy Father, a visible sign of the care of the Successor of Peter for this Church that lives in the Holy Places. Your presence is both a gift and a responsibility: a gift, because it reminds us of the deep bond that unites the local Church with the universal Church; a responsibility, because it calls us to live our ecclesial communion with greater fidelity.
In this city – loved and contested, marked by a unique vocation to peace, demanding yet never impossible – your mission takes on profound meaning. Jerusalem is called to be a city of encounter and dialogue. Here Jews, Christians, and Muslims live together, often with mistrust. Your presence fits into this context: to create opportunities, to support communities, to encourage every path toward reconciliation. Standing before this empty tomb, which proclaims the victory of life over death, we are invited to renew our hope, even amid the most fragile and uncertain circumstances.
We cannot ignore the difficulties faced by the Christian communities of this land: their small numbers, social and political tensions, and the risk of discouragement and dispersion. Yet, precisely here – where the Gospel was first proclaimed – the vocation of Christians remains to be witnesses of the Risen One, guardians of a hope that does not fade.
As Apostolic Delegate, you are called to be:
a sign of the Holy Father’s fatherly care, close to all, especially the most vulnerable;
a promoter of ecclesial communion among the diverse realities of the Church in the Holy Land;
a discreet yet steadfast voice for peace, able to sustain dialogue even when it seems difficult.
The local Church, in all its diverse expressions, rites and traditions, wishes to welcome you with an open and sincere heart. As a Christian community that lives and bears witness to the Gospel in the very places of its origin, we know how precious the closeness of the Apostolic See is, especially in a context often marked by tension and complexity.
Here, where generations of believers have prayed over the centuries and where the Christian presence has endured trials and challenges without losing faith, we assure you of our collaboration, our prayers, and our support.
In the mystery of this holy place, we find the foundation of our unity: not a mere human agreement, but a communion born of the Risen Christ. From here, we can set out each day anew to be credible witnesses of the Gospel, even in times of trial.
Your Excellency, you may not find easy successes here, but you will find one certainty: God never abandons His people, even when the future appears uncertain.
We entrust your mission to the Risen Lord, that He may sustain you in hardship, enlighten you in discernment, and make you an instrument of peace, consolation, and living hope for all the communities of this land.
May the Virgin Mary accompany your journey.
Welcome Sayyedna!
