Pope prays in Arabic

Tuesday, October 16th, 2012

Pope Benedict XVI has added Arabic to the list of official languages used at his weekly general audiences, launching the effort by offering the promise of his prayers in Arabic on October 10.

“The Pope prays for all the people who speak Arabic. God bless you all,” he said in Arabic at the Oct. 10 general audience in St. Peter’s Square.

The Catholic News Agency also reported that for the first time, a priest also read an Arabic summary of the Pope’s remarks on how the Second Vatican Council was a “moment of grace” in the Church’s history.

“In the wake of his recent trip to Lebanon … the Holy Father intends to express his perpetual concern and support for Christians in the Middle East, and to remind everyone of their duty to pray and work for peace in the region,” said an October 9 statement from the Vatican Press Office.

CNA reported that Arab Christians welcomed the decision to include Arabic as one of the official languages used at the Pope’s weekly general audience.

The Pope’s general audience is held every Wednesday. It allows him to meet with pilgrims to Rome and teach them on a particular area of Church teaching or spirituality.

The audience also affords him an opportunity to comment on contemporary issues around the globe.

Reuters reported that the Vatican is concerned about the exodus from the Middle East of Christians, many of whom leave because they fear for their safety. Christians now comprise five percent of the population of the region, down from 20 percent a century ago.

According to some estimates, the current population of 12 million Christians in the Middle East could halve by 2020 if security and birth rates continue to decline.

Vatican officials said that speaking Arabic during the audiences, which are broadcast live on television and radio across the world, would send a comforting word to Christians in a region which is home to many Christian holy places.

They also hope the pope addressing Muslims directly could improve sometimes strained relations with Islam.

Sources