Rome, 27th April 2002

The great Family of Italian Franciscan Friars belonging to thousands of communities of Friars Minor, Conventuals, Capuchins and Third Order Regular, together with the Female Religious and Secular Franciscan Order, are close to their brother Friars Minor of the Holy Land and in particular they direct their esteem and thanks to the Community of the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem.

At this time of trial and pain lived with dignity and Franciscan understanding in the spirit of service and of most genuine work of patience with the abuses perpetrated all round them, the 7,000 co-Friars of Italy pray every day to the God of Peace and to the Poor Man of Assisi for an immediate end to the hostilities between the two peoples and the victory of a lasting peace capable of securing political stability and peaceful living together.

Convinced of the words of the Holy Father that "there is no peace without justice, nor justice without pardon", the Italian Franciscan Family, impotent in regard to the sad events of the siege of the Convent and Basilica of the Nativity, continues to assure their prayers for and full solidarity with the great gesture of altruism of so many Friars still deprived of the most elementary rules of living together.

The Ministers Provincial of the Italian Franciscan Families.

Custody Main