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We seek to keep you literally "updated" on movement in terms of truth and justice in the Middle East in general with a particular eye on Palestine. The links below will take you to various articles and websites that offer the perspective of leaders in the religious, NGO, and human rights communities. Additionally, Al-Bushra, ever vigilant, provides links to regular reporting as well as opinion pieces by journalists. The dates given here indicate when the link was posted; the most recent posting is at the top. Check the article itself for the date the information was released by the source.

Monday, May 5, 2014

Anthem for the Pope’s visit to the Holy Land May 24-26

The official anthem for the Pope’s visit was produced by a group of Holy Land musicians. The lyrics were written by Rabab Zeitoun, and the music was composed by Louay Zaher and Rabab Zeitoun.

Listen to the anthem here:



The words of the anthem are:

Refrain:
With you we go onward as witnesses to Christ
Spreading the light of the Word following Francis

1. With you we go like Mary with the light of the Nativity
We keep the covenant that we gained in the water of baptism
And the Cross of our Redeemer, his strength, protects us
We carry it onward, good news for the enslaved.

2. With you we seek the face of the Redeemer in every human being We plant love that blossoms into joy, we witness to faith
And the Church of our Redeemer invigorates us with her sacraments
We are nourished by them and we go onward immersed in faith.

3. With you we vest the cloak of mercy among all creatures
We become apostles of peace among the nations of the earth
The Gospel of our Redeemer, its light guides us
We live by it and go onward calling for harmony.

4. With you we raise our prayer from the land of holiness
We pray for the East in pain, lost on its way
The love of our Redeemer preserves us and enriches us
We clothe ourselves in it and go onward on the path of deliverance.

5. With you we sing the resurrection and proclaim life
Bearing witness to Peter meeting his brother one again
Jesus our Redeemer commands us to unity
So we listen and go onward towards, our goal to gratify him.



Its lyrics include the refrain: “With you we go onward as witnesses to Christ/ Spreading the light of the Word following Francis”. The words of the song speak of light, protection, nourishment, and strength.


Meanwhile, a special prayer will be said for the Pope’s pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Fides reports.
The prayer has been released in the lead up to Pope Francis’ visit to Jordan, Palestine and Israel on May 24-26.

The prayer asks God to make the Pope’s meetings with the political authorities fruitful for justice and peace, protect all the region’s residents as well as the adherents of the religions of the Middle East.

"Heavenly Father, you never tire of being compassionate and loving. The successor of St. Peter plans to visit the Holy Land sanctified by your Son’s birth, baptism, teaching, death and resurrection. Be with him, sanctify him, and bless him. Spread the mantle of your kindness over every stage of his pilgrimage among us, that one may see in him a believing pilgrim, a wise teacher, and a humble leader."

Since the Church traditionally dedicates the month of May to Mary, senior Holy Land Church officials noted that it would be fitting to recognize this through daily recitations of the rosary. Father Rifat Bader, the Church's spokesman for the papal visit, and Archbishop Maroun Lahham, auxiliary bishop and vicar of the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem for Jordan, share the hope "that this prayer can be concomitant with every meeting and can be recited daily after praying the Rosary.”

Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I first suggested to the Holy Father a common pilgrimage to Jerusalem after fifty years since the historic meeting that took place in the Holy City between Pope Paul VI and ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras.

Referring to hopes for Christian unity, the prayer includes the entreaty: "May they all be one, make the meeting in Jerusalem between the Holy Father and the ecumenical patriarch an incentive to increase our efforts for the unity of your children.”

Asking that the meeting with Pope Francis confirms the faith of the children of the Church, the prayer continues: "Good Shepherd, whose image Pope Francis carries on his pectoral cross, walking in the spirit of humility with which you have graced him deepen within us the awareness of our Christian identity, that as true disciples, we may bear witness to your Good News and your resurrection in our churches, our society, and all the world, especially by serving the sick, the poor, and the refugees.”

Sources:

http://popefrancisholyland2014.lpj.org/blog/2014/05/04/anthem-for-the-popes-visit/

http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/official-anthem-and-special-prayer-for-pope-s-holy-land-visit-revealed


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