Bishop Martinelli: 'The Synod shows the way for peaceful coexistence'

By Antonella Palermo and Lisa Zengarini

 “To stop the current spiral of violence there is an urgent need to revise the protocols of diplomacy, but we also need the witness of people of faith showing that we can walk together, that religions can contribute to the humanization of the world,” says Bishop Paolo Martinelli, OFM Cap., the Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia.

Breaking the vicious cycle of vengeance

The Italian Capuchin friar who has been at the helm of the at the helm of the Church  in  United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Yemen for over two years now, is in Rome for the Synod on Synodality.  He spoke to Vatican News on the sidelines of the assembly about the repercussions of the ongoing war in the Holy Land and Lebanon on the Arabian Peninsula, and in particular on war-torn Yemen which is directly affected by the Israeli-Hamas conflict, with Houthi rebels exchanging fire with Israel and attacking ships in the Red Sea.

Bishop Martinelli insisted on the urgency of breaking this vicious cycle of vengeance by resuming diplomacy: “We need to find paths of reconciliation and peace  for the good of all,” he said.

Peaceful coexistence is possible

He added that religious communities can and must contribute to dialogue and peace for a better world, by “not allowing themselves to be instrumentalized for nationalist purposes.”

He cited the example of United Arab Emirates and Oman, where you can find a Catholic church, a mosque, and a synagogue standing side by side, showing that peaceful coexistence is possible: “It is evident that sharing one’s spiritual traditions is beneficial for all,” he said.

Synod shows the way forward

According to Bishop Martinelli, the experience of the ongoing Synod on Synodality is a concrete testimony of the Church’s contribution to spreading this  culture of peace. “Beyond any technical results it may yield, the fact that we listen to each other is meaningful,” he said. “Recognizing the richness of differences and learning to discern together God's will is an example for the Church and the world, which can inspire paths of goodness for society.

Accepting differences

Commenting on Pope Francis’ recent Apostolic Journey to Asia and Oceania the Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia noted several similarities with is two historic visits to the United Arab Emirates in 2019 and Bahrein in 2023, including the signing of the  interfaith declaration religious harmony,  in Indonesia  which, he said, shows that “the path towards fraternity continues”.

“I find the appreciation of differences extremely exciting,” he said. “The ideal of life is not to overcome differences where everyone is the same, but to savour the encounter with the other because they are different."