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by Marc Nadeau

May 11, 2009

Editor’s note: Marc Nadeau is Headline Bistro’s correspondent in Israel during Pope Benedict XVI’s pilgrimage there. He will be filing daily stories, photos and observations of the pope’s time in Israel, with a focus on the impact of the trip on the local, Catholic community. 

Vatican flags are flying in the Christian quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. Banners and welcoming posters have been placed in the streets and in front of shops. I have seen Christian pilgrims from Chile, Spain and Poland around the walls built centuries ago by the Ottomans. For the Christians in the Holy Land, Pope Benedict XVI’s visit truly is a joyous moment.

Not as pleased are the merchants, taxi drivers and residents who have to cope with the challenges of the security requirements of such a visit. No offense to them, but they had to expect it, for this is not the first time such a prominent world figure sojourns in the country.

What surprises me, though, is another form of expectations.

Coming from a North American perspective where religion and politics are oftentimes portrayed as an explosive mix, the Middle East’s reactions to a primarily religious trip are noticeably political, even as the Vatican stresses that promoting a government’s agenda is not the aim of the pilgrimage.

Still, in every quarter in the Old City, the Pope is clearly seen as a political actor, which brings many criticisms. Having visited Israel six times already, one of my favorite spots is the bookstore at the American Colony Hotel. This afternoon, I asked the owner what he thinks of the presence of the bishop of Rome in Jerusalem.

“In my opinion, he can return home tomorrow,” he said. “He insulted the Muslims in 2006 (during his speech at the Regensburg University in Germany). He will refuse to condemn the Israelis. He’s a Zionist Pope.”

On the other side, these harsh words are somewhat matched by many Israelis met in shops and eateries who are lukewarm towards Benedict XVI’s support toward a two-state solution in Israel.

To be fair, everything – including religion – is political in the Middle East. To that end, Israel’s President Shimon Peres asserted that “today's challenge is not the separation of religion and state, but the uncompromising separation of religion from violence” during his speech welcoming the Vicar of Christ at Beit Hanassi, the President’s residence in Jerusalem. 

Benedict XVI can’t entirely avoid politics, for the Israeli-Palestinian conundrum is intertwined with everything that happens in the public sphere. But first and foremost, the Roman pontiff is a teacher. From the moment he was elected to succeed John Paul II four years ago, Christendom and the world became his classroom. The pope is all but fond of sound bites or political manifestos. Nor is he a propagandist for geopolitical concepts such as the clash of civilizations.

You can’t encapsulate Benedict XVI in a label. That’s why some people have a hard time figuring out why he doesn’t take a political stand, in the typical sense of the term.

But he is, actually. He stands for the Catholic Church’s message.

Last weekend, the French newspaper Le Figaro reported that, on the plane carrying him to Jordan, Benedict XVI explained how the Church can efficiently contribute to the peace process: a) by the transformative force of prayer, b) the awakening of consciences and c) a dialogue with reason. In a region where military might and nuclear power are standard talking points in political discussions and public debates, such a rationale is radical – not to mention misunderstood.

Benedict XVI understands something that few observers tend to notice. Peace and stability are only hot air if people don’t seek to implement and live it in their daily lives.

Devoting himself to a better dialogue among Jews, Muslims and Christians, the Pope is placing a stone in the architecture of peaceful coexistence in the Holy Land. But just like the walls surrounding the Old City that welcomes him tonight, the whole structure can only be built one piece at a time.

All in all, I’m impatient to see how Benedict XVI’s visit in the Holy Land unfolds, and to share my observations about the upcoming events of this historic pilgrimage.

Tomorrow, I’ll attend ceremonies with the Holy Father at the Kotel (the Western Wall) and during the Papal Mass at Gethsemane. It’ll be a long but fascinating day.

Marc Nadeau is a Knight of Columbus in Sherbrooke, Quebec, and Deputy Grand Knight of Council #9825.