Thousands of Young Men and Women Await at the Mount of the Beatitudes
JERUSALEM, MAR 23 (ZENIT.org).- Tomorrow morning John Paul II will visit Korazim, to celebrate a Mass dedicated to youth on the Mount of the Beatitudes, where Jesus announced the new Law of the Gospel.
The meeting has been meticulously planned. It will be the largest, in terms of numbers, of the entire papal pilgrimage to the Holy Land. This evening, the youth met in parishes of various rites of the local Catholic Church. Some have been welcomed by the Greek-Catholics, others by the Latin Church, and still others by the Maronites. The presence of members of the Neo-Catechumenal Way from all over the world is impressive. They took part in a Prayer Vigil to prepare for this meeting with the Pope which, according to the organizer, Fr. Rino Rossi, director of «Domus Galileae,» is also «prophetic,» because of the circumstances that have made it possible.
«Many people who are not Catholics are also taking part, for example, the Israeli and Muslim authorities who have positions of responsibility in the surrounding towns. Some Druses will also be present, as well as diplomats from some 60 countries. All this has created an atmosphere of expectation. The youth are really enthusiastic and, as a result, they are exciting the youth of the region, who are so different in culture and language,» Fr. Rossi said.
In the afternoon, the Pontiff will meet Prime Minister Ehud Barak in the shrine that has been constructed at the Mount of the Beatitudes. From there, he will go to Tabgha to visit two churches: that of the multiplication of the loaves and that of the commemoration of Peter's primacy, on the shores of Lake Tiberias. Finally, in Capernaum, he will spend time in Peter's house, from where he will return to Jerusalem by helicopter.
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