His Holiness Pope Francis' Ecumenical Prayer with migrants in Cyprus a “genius combination"

His Holiness Pope Francis greets a migrant family during an ecumenical prayer event in Nicosia, Cyprus.

Father Nikodemus Schnabel, the Patriarchal Vicar of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem for Migrants and Asylum Seekers comments on His Holiness Pope Francis’ Ecumenical Prayer meeting in Cyprus.

Vatican News

A Holy Land Church official regards as a “genius combination” His Holiness Pope Francis bringing together ecumenism and the care of migrants in a prayer event in Cyprus on Friday.  When the whole world is so engrossed with the pandemic, the Pope’s prophetic voice is drawing attention to other “hidden wounds” of the world and the Church, said Father Nikodemus Schnabel, the Patriarchal Vicar of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem for Migrants And Asylum Seekers. 

Healing the wounds

One such wound is that we are a divided Christianity, where ecumenism is very important, the German Benedictine priest told Vatican News. He said the Pope is in the eastern Mediterranean region to build “ecumenical bridges” and focus on the cause of migrants.   The Patriarchal Vicar said there are 80 million migrants and refugees who are really in difficult situations, and Pope Francis is emphasizing that we are sisters and brothers.  Hence, Friday’s ecumenical prayer meeting with migrants at the Holy Cross of Nicosia is a “genius combination”.       

Father Schnabel spoke of 3 steps to healing the wounds of the world and the Church. Firstly, we need to recognize and show that we have these wounds.  We then need to tear down walls and build bridges. This should be followed by taking steps to reconciliation.

Church with many faces

The jurisdiction of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem extends over Latin-rite Catholics in 4 countries - Cyprus, Palestine, Israel and Jordan.  This is why Latin Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa of Jerusalem as well as heads of other Catholic Churches are with Pope Francis in his visit to Cyprus.

For each of the countries, the Patriarchate has a Patriarchal Vicariate, including a special vicariate for Hebrew-speaking Catholics …

This article was originally published on Vatican News website. Please click here to read the full text and listen to Fr. Schnabel’s audio.