In Multiplicibus Curis
Encyclopedia
In Multiplicibus Curis was an encyclical
given by Pope Pius XII
on 24 October 1948 at Castel Gandolfo
, near Rome, in the tenth year of his Pontificate. The encyclical repeated the Vatican's prior attitude to its concerns in the Holy Land
and came at a time when the 1948 Arab–Israeli War was still raging, but after Israel went on the offensive in Operation Yoav
.
In the encyclical, Pope Pius expressed concern at what he called "the destruction and damage of sacred buildings and charitable places built around the Holy Places" scattered throughout Palestine especially in Jerusalem.
While "condemning any recourse to violence", the Pope stated that "peace could only be realized in truth and justice; that is to say by respecting the rights of acquired traditions."
The Pope sought to maintain the Holy See's official attitude of impartiality in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict
but also looked for possibilities for justice and peace in Palestine and for the respect and protection of the Holy Places. The Pope also expressed concern for the plight of "the unhappy victims of the war" (which was understood to refer especially to Palestinian refugees).
The Pope repeated his call for Jerusalem and its outskirts be given an international character, which would "offer a better guarantee for the protection of the sanctuaries". He also called for international guarantees of "free access to Holy Places scattered throughout Palestine, and the freedom of worship and the respect of customs and religious traditions".
Encyclical
An encyclical was originally a circular letter sent to all the churches of a particular area in the ancient Catholic Church. At that time, the word could be used for a letter sent out by any bishop...
given by Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
on 24 October 1948 at Castel Gandolfo
Castel Gandolfo
Castel Gandolfo is a small Italian town or comune in Lazio that occupies a height overlooking Lake Albano about 15 miles south-east of Rome, on the Alban Hills. It is best known as the summer residence of the Pope. It is an Italian town with the population of 8834...
, near Rome, in the tenth year of his Pontificate. The encyclical repeated the Vatican's prior attitude to its concerns in the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
and came at a time when the 1948 Arab–Israeli War was still raging, but after Israel went on the offensive in Operation Yoav
Operation Yoav
Operation Yoav was an Israeli military operation carried out from 15–22 October 1948 in the Negev Desert, during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. Its goal was to drive a wedge between the Egyptian forces along the coast and the Beersheba–Hebron–Jerusalem road and ultimately to conquer the whole Negev...
.
In the encyclical, Pope Pius expressed concern at what he called "the destruction and damage of sacred buildings and charitable places built around the Holy Places" scattered throughout Palestine especially in Jerusalem.
While "condemning any recourse to violence", the Pope stated that "peace could only be realized in truth and justice; that is to say by respecting the rights of acquired traditions."
The Pope sought to maintain the Holy See's official attitude of impartiality in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict
Israeli–Palestinian conflict
The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is the ongoing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. The conflict is wide-ranging, and the term is also used in reference to the earlier phases of the same conflict, between Jewish and Zionist yishuv and the Arab population living in Palestine under Ottoman or...
but also looked for possibilities for justice and peace in Palestine and for the respect and protection of the Holy Places. The Pope also expressed concern for the plight of "the unhappy victims of the war" (which was understood to refer especially to Palestinian refugees).
The Pope repeated his call for Jerusalem and its outskirts be given an international character, which would "offer a better guarantee for the protection of the sanctuaries". He also called for international guarantees of "free access to Holy Places scattered throughout Palestine, and the freedom of worship and the respect of customs and religious traditions".