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February 4, 20245th Anniversary of the Papal Visit and
the Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together (February 4, 2019 – February 4, 2024), Abu DhabiDear Brothers and Sisters,
I am writing to invite you to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the Apostolic visit of Pope Francis to the United Arab Emirates and the signing of the document on Human Fraternity in Abu Dhabi. I wish that after five years we remember this extraordinary event that profoundly marked our Apostolic Vicariate and our country and gave a decisive impulse to interreligious dialogue.
The memory of those days still fills our hearts with gratitude and awakens us with a profound sense of responsibility for the Church and the whole world. Pope Francis was with us! It was an unforgettable occasion! His Holiness Pope Francis coming to our local Church was an opportunity to recognize ourselves as part of the One Church of Christ and to renew our commitment to a humble and faithful Christian testimony in the context of the Arabian Peninsula.
In particular, no one can forget the joy of having participated, directly or indirectly, in the Eucharistic celebration presided over by Pope Francis in the Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi on February 5. I think it does us good to remember, after five years, the words of Pope Francis during his homily: “People say that the difference between the written Gospel and the lived Gospel is the same difference between written music and performed music. You who are here know the Gospel's tune, and you follow its rhythm with enthusiasm. You are a choir composed of numerous nations, languages, and rites; a diversity that the Holy Spirit loves and wants to harmonize ever more, in order to make a symphony. This joyful polyphony of faith is a witness that you give everyone and that builds up the Church”.
Dear Brothers and Sisters, these words enlighten us and at the same time are a challenge to us. With these expressions, Pope Francis recognizes the unique character of our Church, which comprises of people from over one hundred different countries, bringing diverse cultures, languages, traditions, and rites. The polyphony we are called to achieve is not just for us but is a responsibility towards the whole Church. Experiencing diversity in unity is our primary task. We are a Church of Migrants; we are a ‘pilgrim Church’. And therefore, we have the unique opportunity to enrich each other by sharing our gifts, talents, cultures and traditions. The Church and the world need to see in us that diversity is not a problem or an obstacle but a richness that comes from God for the good of all.
On this occasion, I would like to express my gratitude to the rulers of this country especially His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the UAE for inviting Pope Francis and making all the arrangements for a memorable papal journey and facilitating the signing of the prophetic document on Human Fraternity. I am grateful to my beloved predecessor, Bishop Paul Hinder, who was able to organize the Pope’s visit with great wisdom.
Together with the visit of Pope Francis, we also remember the fifth anniversary of the Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together, signed by Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmad Al-Tayyeb on February 4, 2019. It is a prophetic document, a milestone destined to mark the future of relations between religions. Let us remember what was written in the introduction: “Faith leads a believer to see in the other a brother or sister to be supported and loved. Through faith in God, who has created the universe, creatures, and all human beings (equal on account of his mercy), believers are called to express this human fraternity by safeguarding creation and the entire universe and supporting all persons, especially the poorest and those most in need.”
I invite you to read this document again, make it known, and spread it to all. I invite you to use it in moments of Christian formation. This document is a new chapter in the history of relationships between people of different faiths. We recognize that we are different. We are called to know each other, to respect each other, and to walk together promoting peace and justice, human fraternity and peaceful coexistence, the role of women in society, always safeguarding creation as a gift from God for the good of all.
Education is the primary way to create a more humane society with mutual coexistence. We must communicate these decisive values to the new generations for a better society and the common good. In this dramatic moment in the history of humanity, marked by so many conflicts, we feel the responsibility to spread the spirit of the Abu Dhabi document to everyone. Our Christian faith pushes us to witness the joy of the Gospel and to be promoters of peace and justice with all men of goodwill.
Finally, as you know, the document on Human Fraternity inspired the birth of the Abrahamic Family House, which was inaugurated last year on 16th February. It is a reality that brings together three places of worship: a Mosque, a Synagogue, and a Catholic Church. The Church in the Abrahamic Family House is a gift from His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the United Arab Emirates to Holy Father Pope Francis and is dedicated to Saint Francis of Assisi, the man of peace and universal brotherhood.
I again invite our faithful to participate in the initiatives promoted by the Abrahamic Family House, which we support with conviction. We want to cry out to the world that it is possible to walk together with people of different faiths, work for peace, and promote a more fraternal world.
On the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the signing of this document and the visit of Pope Francis to Abu Dhabi, we express our great affection to the Holy Father and our gratitude for his precious teaching and his fatherhood.
We heartily assure Pope Francis of our constant prayers!
+ Paolo Martinelli, OFM Cap
Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia
Read the Document on Human Fraternity
