HIS BEATITUDE SPEECH IN THE OCCASION OF THE INAUGRATION OF ST. PAUL’S ANGLICAN CHURCH.

“Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the Prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing (LUKE 13:34,35).

Your Eminences,

Your Excellencies,

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today we have gathered here as the children of Jerusalem in order to inaugurate the reopening of a home of worship that has been closed for many years.

We pride ourselves on belonging to a liturgical Community i.e. a Community of divine worship. For according to Fr. George Florofsky, the Church is above all a liturgical Community.

For Christian liturgy or divine worship is the pivotal activity that focuses and enriches life, giving meaning and purpose to existence.

Furthermore, in Christian tradition the proper relationship between the created and the creator is best expressed through the relationship of worship. God is always the gracious initiator of our relationship with Himself. Actually it is He who motivates within the human heart the desire or the “divine eros’’ for union with Himself.

The Church therefore as the home of (divine) worship is and must be considered as the home of God’s philanthropy expressed through the blessed acts of peace and reconciliation with our humanity.

The reopening of the Saint Paul’s Church in our beloved holy city of Jerusalem is a prophetic sign of hope for justice peaceful symbiosis and reconciliation for the Holy Land’s people and for maintaining Jerusalem’s harmonious and ecumenical spirit.

We take this opportunity to wholeheartedly congratulate His grace the Anglican archbishop in Jerusalem Mr. Suheil Duwani for his inspirational initiative to restore St. Paul’s Church, which displays his devotion and love to the Holy City of Jerusalem which has enough room to accommodate all God’s children especially those of Patriarch Abraham.

Thank You.