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Working for Peace


For the peace of Jerusalem pray: "May those who love you prosper!” (Psalm 122:6)

Das Wort Pax aus brennenden Teelichtern gebildet.

City of peace

One hears often that the name Jerusalem translated means “City of peace.” In fact the word for peace, “shalom” and “salem” seems to resonate in the name of the holy city. However, even if the translation is not completely correct, it expresses a profound longing of visitors to Jerusalem of all ages and religions: “And now our feet are standing within your gates, Jerusalem” (Psalm 122,2). Yet the actual experience and concrete history of this city contradict this enthusiasm and longing in the extreme.

Our monastery lies within walking distance of the holy places of the three Abrahamic religions: the Church of the Holy Sepulcher with the empty grave of Christ, the Western (wailing) Wall of the Jews, the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock. Day after day pilgrims and worshippers stream to these shrines. Day after day the same shrines threaten to become the bone of contention among the pious and awaken emotions to a high degree. Blood has been repeatedly shed on their account. “For family and friends I say, 'May peace be yours'” (Psalm 122:8).

A millenial history

Even if Dormition, with its history of a little over a hundred years, is still young in comparison with the history of the city of Jerusalem of at least three thousand years, nevertheless it has already experienced many conflicts and wars. It is like the case of a small girl, who has seen the horrors of war, yet as a mature woman senses that her children should grow up differently, who has made up her mind to do what is possible so that it does not come to that again: “For the peace of Jerusalem pray: "May those who love you prosper!” (Psalm 122:6)

In our Benedictine tradition, peace has a particularly high value. That is true for us even more so in this land, for our life, our prayer and work, on Mount Zion and in Tabgha. - “For the peace of Jerusalem pray” (Psalm 122:6)


Pax Benedictina

Friedensgruß


Pax! – Peace!

Many Benedictines begin their letters and emails with this greeting. “Peace!” in this context means more than just a greeting or a wish. It is like the heading of the Benedictine program for life. For a Benedictine seeks peace with his whole life, in the rhythm of prayer and work, in silence, in the encounter with Holy Scripture and with his fellow men, in art, in study and in nature.

Pax Benedictina designates reconciliation with God, with neighbor and with self. It is at the same time a lifelong task and the daily life of a Benedictine monastery. The atmosphere of calm and recollection allows monasteries of all religions to work like cells of strength. For a monastery like Dormition at the intersection of religions, cultures and languages and at a focal point in the history of mankind and its conflicts, this is even more so true.

Our contribution is, to be sure, small: our daily prayer, especially for peace, hospitality for people regardless of their religion, ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue especially with Jews and Muslims, scholarly investigation of questions regarding God and human history. Yet in in the immediate vicinity of the room of the Last Supper, of the appearance of the Risen Lord and of the Pentecost event, we feel ourselves to have been given the search for peace by Christ himself, as a task, but even more as a gift.


Mount Zion Award


Beit Benedict


Prayer for Peace