Bethlehem’s Catholics express concern
The Catholic community in Bethlehem in a statement said: “We the
undersigned members of the Catholic community in Bethlehem, the birth
place of Jesus Christ are deeply concerned about the reported shifting
of the highly venerated statue of our Lady of Madhu to an area 70
kilometres inside the jungle not accessible to the devotees. It is with
great sorrow that we also learn of this venerated statue of Our Lady of
Madhu being used as a shield by the radical group called LTTE in Sri
Lanka.
In view of the fact that the Government of Sri Lanka has given the
assurance that this shrine would be protected as in the past we appeal
to the leaders of the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka to persuade the LTTE
leaders to return the statue to its original shrine so that it would be
accessible to the devotees who belong to all religions in the island.
As we understand this statue and the shrine is a national heritage
and should be protected by all irrespective of faith or ethnic identity.
Therefore, we of the Catholic community in Bethlehem in Palestine appeal
once again to all parties concerned to protect this venerated statue of
Our Lady of Madhu and place it in its historical site so that devotees
from all over the world could worship as in the past.” |