The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is foreseeing an increase of Filipino pilgrims going to Israel in view of Pope Benedict’s official pilgrimage to the Holy Land on May 11-15.
In a letter sent by DFA to the CBCP Media office, Shulan Primavera, Assistant Secretary of Foreign Affairs, said the DFA had received an advisory from the Israeli embassy informing that it has not made any changes in its visa policy in view of the papal pilgrimage to Holy Land.
Under its current policy, Israeli Embassy does not require Filipino citizens a visa to travel to Israel.
The embassy said it will issue a certification for Filipino pilgrims or tourists planning to go to Israel during the papal visit to facilitate their entry to the nation-state.
“To ensure that these pilgrims will not encounter difficulties concerning their visit, please advise the Israeli Embassy of the names of those Filipino pilgrims who will be visiting Israel under Church organized pilgrimage, for the issuance by the said Embassy of a certification that will facilitate their admission to Israel,” the embassy stated in its letter.
But anticipating an influx of tourists in view of the Pontiff’s visit to the nation-state, the embassy informed DFA that names of those going to Israel should be sent to the embassy to facilitate their entrance to Israel.
Termed as official pilgrimage, the papal visit to the Holy Land will include meeting with Israel’s government officials led by President Shimon Peres who will welcome the Pope on his arrival at Ben Gurion International Airport in the morning of May 11.
A meeting with the council of Religious Community leaders of Israel—the Chief Rabbis, the President of the Moslem Religious Court of Appeals, Christian religious leaders, and the heads of the Druze Community—is also slated on the same day.
Aside from meeting with civil and religious leaders of Israel the Holy Father’s itinerary include a visit and wreath-laying ceremony at the Yad Vashem Martyrs’ and Heroes Memorial of the Holocaust.
He will also tour the Temple Mount and visit the Western Wall on May 12. On the same day, he will pray with Catholic Ordinaries at the Cenacle (the Site of the Lord’s Supper). He will pray at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on May 15, the last day of his journey.
A papal Mass will be celebrated on May 12 at the Gethsemane Basilica at the Kidron Valley with about 5,000 people expected to participate.
On May 14, the Pope will go to Nazareth where he will meet with local leaders. He will celebrate Vespers at the Grotto of the Annunciation with bishops, priests and clergy, and representatives of Church movements of the Galilee, with participants roughly estimated at 3,000.
On May 15, the last day of his visit, the Holy Father will meet and pray with the Greek Orthodox Patriarch and Armenian Patriarch. An official farewell ceremony at the Ben Gurion International airport led by Peres will be feted on the pontiff as he officially ends his visit.
The Pope’s official delegation is composed of 40 representatives from the Vatican.
About 70 representatives of the foreign media will be accompanying the Pope in his official pilgrimage.
Healing the rift
The Papal visit comes at a time when Israel is smarting from Vatican’s move to lift the excommunication of a British bishop who had made comments denying the Holocaust.
Bishop Richard Williamson and two other bishops of Marcel Lefebvre’s Society of St. Pius X were excommunicated when they were consecrated bishops without Vatican’s approval.
Wanting to heal the rift with the ultra-conservative society, Vatican has lifted up the 20-year excommunication decree which drew worldwide criticism especially among Jewish circles, because of Williamson’s belief that the Holocaust never took place.
Vatican has since condemned Williamson’s denial of the Holocaust and demanded that he recant his statements.
Williamson apologized for his anti-Semitism remarks, according to news reports, although he did not entirely recant his personal views.
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