UK Church Leaders Pray in Bethlehem

The pilgrimage of church leaders from the UK, including the Archbishop of Canterbury, continues with the group praying in Bethlehem yesterday to give thanks to God for the birth of Christ.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has travelled to the Holy Land together with the Archbishop of Westminster and spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, the Free Churches Moderator, the Rev David Coffey, and the Primate of the Armenian Church of Great Britain, Bishop Nathan Hovhannisian.

The four leaders said a pilgrimage prayer in Manger Square, before the Basilica of the Nativity which they visited on their second day, after flying into Tel Aviv Wednesday and arriving in Jerusalem later that day for an evening of prayer and reflection.

A bagpipe and drum group greeted them on their arrival and accompanied them to their first meeting with the 13 heads of Churches in Jerusalem. The meeting was hosted by Greek Patriarch Theophilus.

At a time of continuing unrest in Bethlehem, the Church leaders are hoping that Christian community there knows it is not forgotten and that its witness over two millennia, often in demanding circumstances, is acknowledged and appreciated, the Catholic Communications Network said. It added that the pilgrimage is intended to offer hope and encouragement to these beleaguered communities.

A Diocese of Westminster press bulletin posted Thursday read: "The local churches need our support. Just coming to be among the Christians in this place is an act of fraternal solidarity."

Dr Williams said: "We're visiting Christians who suffer terrible economic hardship and daily anxiety about their homes and their security. We'll be alongside people, Christians, Jews and Muslims, whose lives have been wrecked in different ways by terrorism and by the sense that they're hated and feared by each other. We'll be with people who are really desperate to find some sort of hope, some way out of the cycle of violence and insecurity."

Rev Coffey said: "I think that with all the problems of the world we sometimes get accustomed to the plight of the Christians of the Holy Land and I think there has been a neglect to pray for them. And I think there ought to be a greater focus on prayer for them."