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Al Bawaba
2 days ago
- Politics
- Al Bawaba
Outrage in Palestine over snack ad mocking 'last supper'
ALBAWABA - A controversial advertisement by a Palestinian snack company has sparked widespread anger among Christian communities and broader segments of Palestinian society after it featured a parody of The Last Supper, one of Christianity's most sacred religious images. The ad replaced the figures of Jesus and his disciples with sheep heads and used bags of chips to represent the holy meal, turning a deeply spiritual symbol into a promotional gimmick. The response was swift and condemning. Many Christians viewed the campaign as a blatant act of disrespect and an attack on their faith. Protests erupted online and offline, with some store owners discarding the company's products in public protest. Religious leaders and civil society figures issued statements denouncing the ad for crossing ethical lines and mocking foundational religious values. In an opinion piece, Dr. Imad Salem emphasized that the ad cannot be defended as humorous or creative. He argued that such content undermines the delicate social fabric of Palestine and damages the values of respect, unity, and national dignity. Salem noted that Palestine's strength lies in its religious and cultural diversity, and acts like this threaten to unravel the coexistence Palestinians have long upheld under occupation and adversity. He warned that turning sacred symbols into tools for marketing trivializes deeply held beliefs and can open the door to sectarian division. He also criticized the growing trend of commercial content crossing moral and spiritual boundaries without accountability. Salem called for a renewed national dialogue that reinforces values of tolerance and respect for all faiths. He urged media creators, educators, and businesses to align their work with the broader ethical and cultural responsibility of building a nation that embraces all its people equally. He concluded that true national unity requires more than slogans—it must be rooted in everyday practices of dignity, empathy, and moral accountability. Only through this commitment can Palestinians maintain their shared identity and uphold justice for all citizens, regardless of faith.
Arab News
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Pope urges Middle East Christians not to abandon homelands
VATICAN CITY: Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday hailed Christian communities in the Middle East who 'persevere and remain in their homelands, resisting the temptation to abandon them' despite war, marginalization or persecution. 'Christians must be given the opportunity, and not just in words, to remain in their native lands with all the rights needed for a secure existence. Please, let us strive for this!' he told a meeting of Eastern Catholic Churches at the Vatican. The pope also offered on Wednesday to mediate between leaders of countries at war, saying that he himself 'will make every effort so that this peace may prevail.' 'The Holy See is always ready to help bring enemies together, face to face, to talk to one another, so that peoples everywhere may once more find hope and recover the dignity they deserve, the dignity of peace. The peoples of our world desire peace, and to their leaders I appeal with all my heart: Let us meet, let us talk, let us negotiate!' he told a meeting of Eastern Catholic Churches. Pope Leo XIV, the first American to head the global Catholic Church, pledged to make "every effort" for peace and offered the Vatican as a mediator in global conflicts, saying war was "never inevitable". Leo, who was elected last week to succeed the late Pope Francis, has made repeated calls for peace in the early days of his papacy. His first words to crowds in St Peter's Square were "Peace be with all you". He returned to the issue while addressing members of the Eastern Catholic Churches, some of which are based in conflict-ridden places such as Ukraine, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq and often face persecution as religious minorities. "The Holy See is always ready to help bring enemies together, face-to-face, to talk to one another, so that peoples everywhere may once more find hope and recover the dignity they deserve, the dignity of peace," Leo said. "War is never inevitable. Weapons can and must be silenced, for they do not resolve problems but only increase them. Those who make history are the peacemakers, not those who sow seeds of suffering," he added. Pope Leo warned against the rise of simplistic narratives that divide the world into good and evil. "Our neighbours are not first our enemies, but fellow human beings," he said. On Sunday, the pontiff called for an "authentic and lasting peace" in Ukraine, a ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all Israeli hostages held by militant group Hamas, and welcomed the fragile ceasefire between India and Pakistan. Leo spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Monday in his first known conversation with a foreign leader as pope. He offered to facilitate peace talks as world leaders come to his inauguration mass, the Ukrainian leader said. Zelenskiy hopes to be present for the event in St Peter's Square on May 18 and is ready to hold meetings on the sidelines, the Ukrainian leader's chief of staff Andriy Yermak told Reuters on Tuesday.
The Independent
14-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Pope vows every effort to work for peace in regions where Christians persecuted, forced to flee
Pope Leo XIV vowed to take 'every effort' Wednesday to work for peace in the Middle East and Ukraine and to actively promote the spirituality and traditions of the eastern rite churches, those Catholic communities with origins in the Mideast and eastern Europe that have been decimated by years of conflict and persecution. 'The church needs you!' Leo told a Holy Year audience of eastern rite pilgrims. Eastern-rite Catholics accept the authority of the pope but have many of their own rituals and liturgy. They include the Coptic, Chaldean, Maronite and Eritrean Catholic churches, as well as the Syro-Malabar church in India and Greek Catholic communities that are found across Eastern Europe and the Americas. Unlike Orthodox Christians, these Catholic churches fully recognize papal authority. In his remarks, Leo acknowledged that many eastern rite Catholics have been forced to flee their homelands because of 'war and persecution, instability and poverty.' It was a reference to the exodus of Christians from the Middle East, Iraq and Syria especially, where entire communities have been displaced by years of Islamic extremist violence. Many of these communities in northern Iraq were some of the oldest of the faith, where the dialects of Aramaic — the language of Jesus — are still spoken. Leo vowed 'every effort' to work for peace in those regions, citing in particular the Middle East and Ukraine, and said the Holy See was ready to 'help bring enemies together, face to face.' 'Who better than you can sing a song of hope even amid the abyss of violence?' he said. 'From the Holy Land to Ukraine, from Lebanon to Syria, from the Middle East to Tigray and the Caucasus, how much violence do we see!' He praised those Christians who are working at reconciliation even in regions where they are persecuted minorities, and urged them to continue. 'I thank God for those Christians — Eastern and Latin alike — who, above all in the Middle East, persevere and remain in their homelands, resisting the temptation to abandon them,' Leo said. 'Christians must be given the opportunity, and not just in words, to remain in their native lands with all the rights needed for a secure existence.' The audience featured a mix of faithful from around the world, with Lebanese and Ukrainian flags and ululating pilgrims. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Associated Press
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Pope vows every effort to work for peace in regions where Christians persecuted, forced to flee
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Leo XIV vowed to take 'every effort' Wednesday to work for peace in the Middle East and Ukraine and to actively promote the spirituality and traditions of the eastern rite churches, those Catholic communities with origins in the Mideast and eastern Europe that have been decimated by years of conflict and persecution. 'The church needs you!' Leo told a Holy Year audience of eastern rite pilgrims. Eastern-rite Catholics accept the authority of the pope but have many of their own rituals and liturgy. They include the Coptic, Chaldean, Maronite and Eritrean Catholic churches, as well as the Syro-Malabar church in India and Greek Catholic communities that are found across Eastern Europe and the Americas. Unlike Orthodox Christians, these Catholic churches fully recognize papal authority. In his remarks, Leo acknowledged that many eastern rite Catholics have been forced to flee their homelands because of 'war and persecution, instability and poverty.' It was a reference to the exodus of Christians from the Middle East, Iraq and Syria especially, where entire communities have been displaced by years of Islamic extremist violence. Many of these communities in northern Iraq were some of the oldest of the faith, where the dialects of Aramaic — the language of Jesus — are still spoken. Leo vowed 'every effort' to work for peace in those regions, citing in particular the Middle East and Ukraine, and said the Holy See was ready to 'help bring enemies together, face to face.' 'Who better than you can sing a song of hope even amid the abyss of violence?' he said. 'From the Holy Land to Ukraine, from Lebanon to Syria, from the Middle East to Tigray and the Caucasus, how much violence do we see!' He praised those Christians who are working at reconciliation even in regions where they are persecuted minorities, and urged them to continue. 'I thank God for those Christians — Eastern and Latin alike — who, above all in the Middle East, persevere and remain in their homelands, resisting the temptation to abandon them,' Leo said. 'Christians must be given the opportunity, and not just in words, to remain in their native lands with all the rights needed for a secure existence.' The audience featured a mix of faithful from around the world, with Lebanese and Ukrainian flags and ululating pilgrims. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
