Day 7 - Pope Benedict in Nazareth; Mass at Mount Precipice; Meeting with Israeli PM; Vespers at Basilica of the Annunciation

On the Schedule Today (Thursday May 14, 2009)

This post will be updated with news and commentary on the day's events

• 10.00 - Holy Mass on the Mount of Precipice in Nazareth
• 12.30 - Luncheon with the Ordinaries of the Holy Land, the Franciscan community and the Papal Entourage in the Franciscan convent of Nazareth
• 15.50 - Meeting with the Israeli prime minister in the Franciscan convent of Nazareth
• 16.30 - Greetings to religious leaders of Galilee in the auditorium of the Shrine of the Annunciation in Nazareth
• 17.00 - Visit to the Grotto of the Nativity in Nazareth
• 17.30 - Celebration of Vespers with Bishops, priests, men and women religious, ecclesial and pastoral movements of Galilee in the upper Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth

Spoken Words of Pope Benedict XVI

• Holy Mass on the Mount of Precipice in Nazareth (May 14, 2009)
• Meeting with the religious leaders of Galilee in the Auditorium of the Shrine of the Annunciation in Nazareth (May 14, 2009)
• Celebration of Vespers with the Bishops, priests, men and women religious, ecclesial and pastoral movements of Galilee in the upper Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth (May 14, 2009)

Coverage and Commentary

General

• Pope tells Christians and Muslims to overcome divisions, build a culture of peace (AsiaNews):

  Benedict XVI meets the religious leaders of the Galilee. Holding a rabbi and an imam by the hand, he prays for peace. He also speaks about peace with Israeli PM Netanyahu. He tells Christians to remain in the Holy Land to be acknowledged as bearers of the Communion with God. Hamas accuses the Pope of not talking about Palestinian sufferings and not talking with the families of Palestinian prisoners, something which he actually did yesterday.

• Church in Israel struggles to find its Hebrew voice: Arab Christians, Israeli Jews on opposite sides cultural, political divide, by John Allen Jr. (National Catholic Reporter)
• Pope nears end of Holy Land trip with visit to Nazareth, by John Thavis (Catholic News Service)

Mass in Nazareth

• Benedict rides 'peace train' to Nazareth: At center stage, Benedict held hands with a rabbi and a Druze sheikh, by John Allen, Jr. (National Catholic Reporter)
• Keep families strong, extend love to others, pope says in Nazareth, by Judith Sudilovsky. (Catholic News Service)
• Pope in Nazareth: 'Reject hatred and prejudice', by Dia Hadid. (Associated Press)
• Pope heads to Nazareth for mass, Israel PM meet (AFP)
• 'We want only peace, peace': Thousands of Christians flock to Nazareth to hear pope's message of reconciliation. , by Brenda Gazzar (Jerusalem Post)
• 40,000 join pope at Nazareth mass (Jerusalem Post)

Visit with Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu

• Pope, Israeli prime minister discuss peace, dialogue, priests' visas, by Judith Sudilovsky (Catholic News Service)
• Pope Benedict discusses two-state solution with Netanyahu (Catholic News Agency)
• Netanyahu asks pope to condemn Iran 'I asked him to sound his voice' against Iran's anti-Israel declarations, PM says after private meeting. Ahiya Raved (YNet News)
• Netanyahu: Reject anti-Israel rhetoric (Jerusalem Post)