Cardinal Pizzaballa Receives Legion of Honor Award from Macron, Urges Support for Holy Land Christians

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, was honored with the rank of officer in the Legion of Honor by French President Emmanuel Macron during a ceremony at the Élysée Palace. The award recognized the cardinal’s service to the people of the Holy Land and his commitment to interreligious dialogue and the promotion of justice and peace.

In his remarks following the meeting, Cardinal Pizzaballa described the Christian presence in the Holy Land as facing a “difficult reality.” He highlighted the growing violence and the lack of political progress, which have increased the vulnerability of local communities and deepened uncertainty about the future.

The cardinal emphasized that his discussions with Macron focused on social issues and the daily realities of people in both Palestine and Israel. Macron expressed interest in understanding how the Church interprets current developments and in learning about the humanitarian situation of Christian communities in Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem.

Cardinal Pizzaballa noted that Palestinian Christians experience the same suffering as other Palestinians. He mentioned the expansion of settlements, land confiscation, and restrictions on landowners’ access to their property. He also pointed to ongoing attacks by settlers, which he described as occurring amid a clear lack of security.

The cardinal highlighted the economic crisis affecting Christian families, who are increasingly considering emigration due to years of war, declining employment opportunities, and the suspension of development projects. He called on the international community and Western churches to “redouble their efforts to create real opportunities, build connections, and develop new pathways that enable families to remain in their homeland and preserve their roots.”

The situation in the Holy Land continues to present significant challenges for its Christian communities. As Cardinal Pizzaballa urged support for these communities, the call echoes the biblical principle of caring for the vulnerable and seeking justice for the oppressed, as seen in Romans 12:18, which encourages believers to live in harmony and seek peace.

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