VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Where war has shuttered the religious tourism industry, the Vatican is calling for peace to preserve the livelihoods of those who rely on tourism and to reignite a culture of encounter.
"Where there are hotbeds of war, it is obvious that tourism suffers because all necessary forms of security are lost," wrote Archbishop Rino Fisichella, pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization's section for new evangelization, in a message published May 28. "The lack of tourists, however, creates a further expression of poverty among the population who see a necessary form of livelihood for living with due dignity being lost."
In a message for the U.N.'s World Tourism Day, to be celebrated Sept. 27 on the theme "Tourism and Peace," the archbishop expressed gratitude for the "great pastoral ministry carried out by many priests and laypeople who dedicate their lives to making tourism and pilgrimages active and fruitful," and he invited them to keep hoping "that the path will be soon reopened to pilgrimages in the countries that traditionally guard the richness of our faith and history."
The archbishop did not mention any countries or regions by name, but his remarks about the devastating impact of war on religious tourism obviously could apply to the Holy Land where many Christian families rely on pilgrims for their livelihoods.
"The interest that moves millions of tourists can easily be combined with a commitment to fraternity so as to form a network of 'messengers of peace' who speak to the entire world to call for an end to all war and the reopening of territories full of history, culture and faith," the archbishop wrote.
He added that the "the beauty that characterizes these destinations cannot and must not be obscured by the ugliness of destruction and rubble that replace what the genius of previous generations had built as an emblem of peace and sharing."
Archbishop Fisichella said that "tourism can greatly promote the recovery of interpersonal relationships for which we all feel a deep longing," particularly in today's society "marked by the massive presence of technology that limits relationships between people."
The culture of encounter advocated for by Pope Francis, he wrote, "needs to be placed at the center of our pastoral commitment to tourism."
The archbishop said that religious tourism must promote lasting ties between people, and he asked that prayer for peace remain at the center of pilgrimages.
"To be peacemakers is not only possible but required of those who embark on a journey," he wrote.
Archbishop Fisichella noted that millions of pilgrims will travel to Rome for the Holy Year 2025 in the hopes of experiencing peace and joy in their journey. He added that "tourism characterized by this hope can also become a concrete and tangible sign for the construction of peace."