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Pope backs charity song for peace in the Holy Land

Pope Francis has endorsed a Christmas song by a Bethlehem student and a London-based band which aims to deliver belief in hope for a better future, with proceeds to benefit an ecumenical Holy Land charity.


The Bethlehem Municipality has chosen to cancel Christmas festivities due to the thousands killed across the Holy Land and in a prayer for peace. Amidst the rubble and ruins, a poignant voice rises to declare that the light of hope will persist in the small West Bank town where the Christmas story unfolded.

Youstina Safar, a resident of Bethlehem and a student at Bethlehem University, has collaborated with the London-based band Ooberfuse to deliver a powerful message through their Christmas song, “Hear Angels Cry.” The song resonates with the belief that hope for a better future, born in the hearts of humanity, remains resilient in the face of aggression.

This song has reached the ears of Pope Francis who endorsed the song commenting that he trusts the song “will inspire many people this Christmas to pray for a new flourishing of fraternal solidarity, reconciliation and peace in the Holy Land.”

Hear Angels Cry has been promoted on the Vatican News and is being played on Vatican Radio.

Hear Angels Cry can be found at:

Watch on Youtube now: https://bit.ly/418x6lF

Stream on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/46JOQVo

Buy on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3GuduPo

Stream on Apple Music: https://apple.co/46Ik9jk

Youstina Safar said: “In the midst of despair, our song ‘Hear Angels Cry’ stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of hope in Bethlehem. While the traditional Christmas displays may dim this year in remembrance of lives lost in Gaza, our voices unite to affirm that hope will never succumb to darkness.”

Cherrie Anderson, a member of Ooberfuse, said: “As we embarked on this music project in June, we never anticipated the cancellation of Christmas displays in Bethlehem. The dimming lights in Manger Square honour those who tragically lost their lives in the Holy Land. ‘Hear Angels Cry’ embodies Jesus’ message of love, prevailing even in the face of hopelessness. All proceeds from the song will directly benefit those suffering in Gaza, particularly the children reconstructing the fragments of their lives.”

Proceeds from the song will go to Friends of the Holy Land, a UK charity which is also registered in Palestine. Through its office in Bethlehem, it is well-placed to get urgent, personalized aid to the families most in need in Gaza and the West Bank and will make sure the most in need are helped quickly by the proceeds from the song.

Friends Executive Director, Brendan Metcalfe, said: “The message of Christ has been a light, both spiritually and practically through the work of so many Christian institutions, in the region for thousands of years. We can’t let that light go out in our generation. You can make a further difference by donating separately to “Hear Angels Cry”.

 

 

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