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Pope urges peace in Golan Heights

Pope John Paul II is greeted by Syrian Catholic children at the Church of St. Paul on the Wall

QUNEITRA, Syria (CNN) -- Standing amid a stark reminder of Middle East violence, Pope John Paul II visited the Syrian side of the Golan Heights and prayed for peace.

The 80-year-old pontiff watered and blessed an olive tree, but it was the reminders of destruction that Syrian authorities wanted to highlight.

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Now little more than rubble and ruin, Quneitra was once a thriving agricultural town, but its buildings and homes were destroyed during fighting with Israel.

Israeli troops withdrew 27 years ago, but Syrian authorities have not rebuilt the town, wanting it to serve as what they feel is an example of Israeli aggression.

Greeted by thousands of people, including some former residents of this town, the pope toured a heavily damaged Greek Orthodox church, little more than a shell. The area was within sight of Israeli occupation forces on the Golan Heights.

As he has since the start of his trip to Syria on Saturday, the pope did not appear to want to cast any blame for the violence.

"Peace is a gift from God," he said. "Even today, in the eyes of God, my prayer becomes more intense."

The pope's visit to Syria has sparked some controversy. Israel is angry with some of the comments made on Saturday by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as he welcomed the pope.

Al-Assad cited "the suffering of people in Lebanon and Palestine," an apparent slap at Israel. He also talked about the persecution of Jesus Christ by first century Jews.

Vatican officials with the pope said he was a guest of Syria and would not comment on the president's remarks.

The pope's trip is designed to help promote peace between Syria and its Middle East neighbours, but it is also largely personal, meant to retrace the journey of the apostle Paul. Christians believe he converted to Christianity on the road to Damascus.

Christian faiths compose 10 percent of Syria's predominantly Muslim population of 17 million. About 310,000 of those Christians practise Roman Catholicism.

At a mass in Damascus on Sunday, the pontiff called for Christian, Jews and Muslims to work together for peace.

Though Syria has sent six popes to Rome, this is the first time the country has received one.

The trip comes less than a year after al-Assad succeeded his late father, Hafez al-Assad, in a smooth transition of power.

The pope is scheduled to leave Syria on Tuesday and head to Malta.

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Greek Orthodox Church
Vatican
Roman Catholic Church in Greece
Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch

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