Ten years ago on 8 June, the president of Israel and the president of the Palestinian Authority travelled to the Vatican to pray for peace with Pope Francis.
Now, a decade later, the pope wants to celebrate the anniversary and, above all, to pray for peace in the Holy Land.
In 2014, Pope Francis spoke about the innocent victims of war. That it “is our duty to ensure that their sacrifice is not in vain. The memory of these children instils in us the courage of peace.”
The president of Israel at the time Shimon Peres echoed the pope’s sentiments and shed light on his own experiences. “I was young, now I’m old. I experienced war. I tasted peace. Never will I forget the families, parents and children who paid the cost of war. All my life I shall never stop to act for peace.”
The president of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas finished by commenting on the desire for “peace for ourselves and for our neighbours. We want prosperity and thoughts of peace for us and for others.”
That day, the Vatican Gardens were filled with the music of three faiths: Jewish, Christian and Muslim. Among the Christian representatives were also ecumenical delegations. For example, the Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew was present.
The event to mark the anniversary and pray for peace between Israel and Palestine will take place on Saturday, 8 June, at 9.30am at the same spot in the Vatican Gardens.