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Pope’s blessing: the pope has “negotiating power”, says a Parisian priest
Pope’s blessing: he has “negotiating power”, says a Parisian priest – (franceinfo)
Patrick Desbois, priest in Paris and president of Yad In Unum, was the guest on 12/13 to discuss the Urbi et Orbi blessing, given today by the Pope at the Vatican.
It is a blessing given by the Pope at Christmas and Easter. “Urbi et Orbi means first of all ‘blessing the city’ since he is first the bishop of Rome then ‘Orbi’, to everyone”, explains Patrick Desbois. He believes that the media makes this blessing accessible to everyone around the world. “Now it is really accessible from Papua to Paris”, he rejoices. For him, “it is a prayer with both feet on the Earth, concerned with the concerns of the whole world”. “It is a strong time. This blessing is also a moment of plenary indulgence where people feel forgiven for all their sins”which explains, according to him, the number of faithful present to see the Pope this Monday, December 25.
A Christmas marked by wars
It is also a speech focused on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that the Pope gave today. “The pope said yesterday that his heart is in Bethlehem, he is closely following the conflict in the Middle East, the conflict of the Russian attack on the Ukrainians, the conflict in Yemen”. Patrick Desbois works in Ukraine, where “Christians are doing what they can at the moment. They changed the date of Christmas, they put it today rather than Russian Christmas. Even religion, I would say, must adapt to the conflict.”
This is in fact the first time that the country will celebrate Christmas on December 25 and not on January 7 as the Russian Orthodox do. He felt that the pope, at a geopolitical level, had “negotiating power”specifying that “the Vatican is known for its discreet and effective negotiating force” And “as he is not shy and says what he thinks, leaders are happy to have frank discussions with him”believes Patrick Desbois.
