A new version of The Bible was presented on November 26th in Rome, at the Basilica of Mary Queen of the Apostles in Montagnola. Search the Scriptures in Arabic, is a St. Paul Edition. A few thousand copies were donated to the Pope to be given to Arabic-speaking Christians in difficult situations. A climate of vibrant emotion marked this presentation event, “The Word of God is a living Word and this Bible is a very important tool especially in a context as divided as the Middle East”, remarked Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, patriarch of the Latin Rite in Jerusalem, in his homily at the Mass which preceded the presentation. At the Basilica of Mary Queen of the Apostles in Montagnola which was packed with faithful, representatives of the Eastern Catholic Churches also concelebrated. At the end of the Mass they also gathered in front of the remains of Blessed Fr. James Alberione for a moment of prayer, on the day of his liturgical memory.
The presentation event was set in the context of the hundred-year anniversary since the birth of SOBICAIN, the International Catholic Biblical Society, founded by Blessed Alberione. The importance of this work in the context of the biblical apostolate was highlighted by Fr. Domenico Soliman, superior general of the Society of Saint Paul. The director of SOBICAIN himself, Fr. José Pottayil, emphasized that for the Paulines this edition opens a new horizon with the Arabic-speaking countries. «It is a way of placing ourselves alongside many brothers and sisters who bear witness to the faith in the very countries in which it germinated and was consolidated. It is also a seed of light and peace for those who experience situations of violence and considerable pain.”
Fr. Giacomo Perego, responsible for the biblical sector of St. Paul Editions, recalled that the Paulines are celebrating the centenary of their service to the Word this year. «We were looking for a sign to express today what our founder always recommended: giving everyone the Truth in charity whereby we understand Truth with a capital ‘T’, as the One who emerges from the Sacred Scriptures. So, creating an edition of the Bible in Arabic in collaboration with some biblical scholars of the Neocatechumenal Way means for us to look out onto a new horizon where we are not yet and above all onto a particularly delicate horizon at this moment. Let us not forget, then, that the Arab world is the cradle of our faith and therefore for us too, entering into dialogue with the Catholic Churches of the Eastern Rite is an opportunity to learn, dialogue and grow in the light of faith”.
