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November 10, 2023
10 November 2023
To all the faithful in the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia
Dear brothers and sisters,
May the Lord give you Peace!
As you know, the Holy See press office announced on November 3: “Accepting the invitation of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, His Holiness Pope Francis will make the previously announced trip to Dubai from 1 to December 3, 2023, on the occasion of the upcoming Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28)”.
This is a crucial visit of the Holy Father to Dubai in connection with the COP28. Pope Francis, with the encyclical Laudato si’ and the recent apostolic exhortation Laudate Deum, has recalled the importance of promoting an integral ecology and taking care of our common home, this earth, which is created by God.
Significant climate change, which often cause large and devastating disasters in different parts of the world, are the most dramatic testimony to what is happening. If, on the one hand, all religions are called to give their spiritual and active contribution to humanity so that all humans find harmony in their relationship with creation, putting an end to the indiscriminate exploitation of resources. On the other, the Holy Father invites all world leaders to make decisions that allow us to undertake paths of care for our common home.
For this reason, I invite all the faithful in the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia to pray every day for the success of the Holy Father's visit to Dubai along with the Success of the COP28 meeting in Dubai. Let us also pray for the leaders of all the nations to make courageous choices in defense of the environment to safeguard the good life of all.
With my blessings
+ Paolo Martinelli OFM Cap
Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia
Prayer for Pope's Visit and COP28
