Maoz and Aziz, two entrepreneurs from Israel and Palestine respectively, whose families were torn away by the war, shared their testimony: “Our pain has brought us together to create a better future”. The 12,500 people present in the Arena stood up to applaud the gesture of brotherhood among themselves and with Francis: “This is not only courage and testimony of wanting peace, but also a project for the future”
Salvatore Cernuzio – Vatican City
A standing ovation, then silence, prayer, tears, the embrace with the Pope. At the Verona Arena, the central event of the Pontiff’s morning in the Verona city, a small chapter in the history of this contemporary era was written torn by conflicts when the words of Maoz Inon, an Israeli, whose parents Hamas killed on 7 October, and Aziz Sarah, from whom the war took away his brother, resounded in the ancient amphitheater. Two entrepreneurs, two representatives of the working economy table but above all of two populations now at war, who, side by side, wanted to share their testimony with the 12,500 who participated in the meeting “Justice and Peace will kiss”, culmination of the Pope’s entire visit to Verona. They hugged each other at the end, then they also hugged Francis, sending a signal to the world of how true the Pope’s words are, sometimes even contested, that there is a basis for meeting again as brothers and it is precisely the common suffering, “the suffering of two peoples”.
A testimony of peace from the Holy Land
“It is a great honor to be here, you are a leader of peace, we are here with 12 thousand peace builders, we bring you a testimony of peace from the Holy Land”, they began. “Pope Francis, I am Maoz Inon, I come from Israel and my parents were killed by Hamas… Pope Francis, my name is Aziz Sarah, I come from Palestine and this war, the Israeli soldiers took my brother from me,” they said. “Our pain, our suffering has brought us together to create a better future.”
The intervention of Maoz and Aziz
Everyone standing in the Verona Arena
The entire Arena stood up at the end upon hearing these words. Peace flags and white handkerchiefs waved and the two men shook hands and raised them high. Still embracing each other, flanked by Roberto Romano of the working group on the economy, they continued: “We are entrepreneurs…. There can be no peace without an economy of peace. An economy that doesn’t kill. An economy based on justice. And we ask: how can young people be entrepreneurs of peace when places of education are often influenced by the technocratic paradigm and the culture of profit at any cost?”.
The hug with the Pope
Francesco absorbed their speech and stood up when the two men approached him. One hug, two hugs, a group hug, with the Pontiff’s head sinking onto the shoulders of Maoz and Aziz. Then a very strong handshake: “Thank you brothers!”.
The embrace of the two men with Pope Francis
Will for peace, plan for the future
All around, screams and applause, interrupted when Pope Francis took the floor and wanted to comment off the cuff on the moment he had just experienced. “The suffering of these two brothers is the suffering of two peoples,” he said. “Nothing can be said, nothing can be said… They had the courage to embrace each other – he added, pointing to them with his hand – and this is not only courage and testimony of wanting peace, but also a plan for the future. Hug each other. Both have lost their families, the family has been torn apart by this war.”
“What’s the point of war?”
“What is the point of war?” asked Francis. “Please let’s make a small space of silence, to listen. And looking at the embrace of the two of them, each from his heart pray to the Lord for peace and make an interior decision to do something to end the wars”. The ovation turned into silence, the thousands of people present in the Verona Arena lowered their heads but raised their plea to the sky.
Maoz, an Israeli, and Aziz, a Palestinian, shake hands
Thinking of children
Francis spoke again: “Let’s think about the children, this war, the many wars, what future will they have?”. My thoughts, as always, went to the children: the Ukrainian ones who “don’t know how to smile”, who “lose their smile during the war”. “Let us think of the old people – added the Pope – who have worked all their lives to bring these two countries forward and now a defeat”.
“A historic defeat is a defeat for all of us,” remarked Jorge Mario Bergoglio. “Let us pray for peace and tell these two brothers that they bring this desire of ours and the will to work for peace to their people”.
