Jerusalem: Celebration of Feast of the Virgin Mary, Mother of God, World Day of Peace and New Year

Source: Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem

On Wednesday, January 1, 2025, His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, along with bishops and priests, presided over the Mass at the Pro-Cathedral of the Latin Patriarchate, in the presence of the Spanish Consul, various religious orders, and the faithful, in celebration of the Feast of the Virgin Mary, Mother of God, the World Day of Peace, and the beginning of the blessed New Year 2025.

The World Day of Peace, observed on January 1st each year, is an annual event established by Pope Paul VI in 1967 as a day of prayer and reflection on ways to achieve peace in the world. Pope Francis chose the theme for the 58th World Day of Peace in 2025: "Forgive us our trespasses and grant us your peace," which resonates with the ecclesial significance of the Jubilee Year of 2025, focusing on the themes of hope and forgiveness. HB Cardinal Pizzaballa announced the start of the Jubilee Year in the Diocese of Jerusalem on December 29, 2024.

Despite the challenges we face, our hearts remain directed toward our Mother, the Virgin Mary. The faithful lifted their hearts and prayers to God and His Mother, asking for her unceasing maternal intercession for her children. Today, the Virgin invites us to meditate once again on the mystery of the incarnation of Jesus Christ, the Saviour. She calls us to make room for Him in our hearts, for He alone is capable of transforming our wounded human nature, granting us sincere forgiveness, true lasting peace, and guiding us on the path of becoming peacemakers in this world.

In his homily, Cardinal Pizzaballa pointed out that both political and religious institutions face significant challenges in achieving just peace in a world burdened by conflicts. He emphasized that the aspirations of nations for peace clash with the discouraging reality of a lack of an inspiring figure to help us build relationships characterized by justice and dignity for all. Furthermore, His Beatitude stressed that peace is not merely a slogan, but a spiritual experience and the language of an open heart: It is the fruit of love and sacrifice, a path that begins at the cross, where the hope of resurrection is manifested. He highlighted the Christian concept of peace, saying: As Christians, we understand that peace does not come from human agreements, rather, true peace is a gift embodied in love through the person of Jesus Christ.

"Peace will always come from the 'more' of love, true love, which is the fullness (and not the opposite) of justice, and which, whether we realize it or not, bears for us the face and name of Jesus, who was born, died, and rose again for us." - From the homily of His Beatitude Cardinal Pizzaballa.

Let us ask the Child of Bethlehem, along with the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God and our Mother, to continue to ignite within each of us and in our ecclesial community the love that alone empowers us with the strength and courage to start anew, to embrace peace, and to continually bring it to life, never growing weary, both within our community and in our civil society.

May this new year be full of blessings for all!

Read the Patriarch's full homily here:
www.lpj.org/en/news/message-to-the-faithful-of-the-holy-land-from-the-acohl-hope-does