Scottish Catholic Observer

Alex Mosson has helped hundreds of Scots to visit the Holy Land, including four former Glasgow Lord Provosts, and he is hoping to be able to take even more on future pilgrimages to show ‘solidarity’ with the oppressed people there.

Mr Mosson, a former Lord Provost of Glasgow himself, first visited the Holy Land in 1987 with Lord Provost Bob Gray and has played an integral role in organising an annual pilgrimage to the region for the past six years with the help and support of Archbishop Mario Conti of Glasgow. As he has done in the past, the archbishop is jointly leading this year’s pilgrimage with Mr Mosson.

“I have a duty, a responsibility to bring people to the Holy Land,” Mr Mosson said with the conviction he is well known for and the energy of a man half his age. “I have been given this opportunity by the grace of God: my face, my name, my connections allow me to do this.”

It is a role in which he is aided by his wife Maureen.

Tourism

One of the reasons Mr Mosson feels compelled to bring pilgrims to the Holy Land—a mission that he is passionate about and a region whose issues he is extremely well-informed on—is because, for many Palestinians, survival literally depends on tourism and trade.

“The Israeli Government is carving out a large part of Palestinian areas the Holy Land,” he said, pointing out that even some Christian groups have been inadvertently travelling with Israeli companies and have not necessarily experienced the Holy Land from a Christian perspective.

Commenting on conflict in the region, he said that travel is not only possible but necessary

“People have been deterred from going to the Holy Land,” he said. “But we must go and help and it is important that people recognise they can go. We want to keep religious sites as Churches, not museums…Visits are spiritual, to walk in the footsteps of Christ.

“People are actively trying to this day to make sure the Holy Land remains the Holy Land for the three monotheistic faiths in spite of occupation and oppression.

“This is the reason pilgrims are so important.”

Peace

When Mr Mosson welcomed the SCO into his Scotstoun home this month to discuss the pilgrimage and the plight of Palestinian Christians, the Palestinian Authority was about to petition the United Nations Security Council to recognise it as a state.

Mr Mosson spoke with passion of the need to work for a peaceful solution to the conflict in the Holy Land.

“We must use peace as a focal point,” he said. “I fully support the Palestinian bid for recognition by the UN as a country, as all right-minded people should. After all, it was their country.”

Bishop William Shomali, auxiliary bishop of Jerusalem, recently called for prayers for peace as tensions increased in the run up to the Palestinian Authority’s bid for recognition by the UN.

“The Lord told us to pray for peace,” the bishop told the charity Aid to the Church in Need. “Jerusalem will attain peace through the power of God, and not merely through the acts of politicians.”

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas planned to go ahead with request to UN Security Council to recognise an independent Palestinian state—on the basis of the borders of June 4, 1967 with East Jerusalem as the capital— in spite of US warnings.

While the US ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice, said the Palestinians had ‘miscalculated’ if they believed the move will bring them closer to independence President Abbas said ‘the world is sympathising with the aspirations of the Palestinian people.’

Pilgrimage

Bishop William Shomali also stressed the importance of visitors coming to the region. “The Holy Land needs you, and you need the Holy Land,” the bishop said.

He added that pilgrimages can help Christians renew their own lives and obtain deeper insights into the Holy Scriptures.

Mr Mosson agreed that going on pilgrimage to the region is ‘very important.’

“In doing so we are showing our solidarity with the people of the Holy Land,” he explained.

He added that this year’s Scottish pilgrimage to the Holy Land, leaving from Manchester in November, is smaller than in previous years but is almost fully booked and subsidised by the business community, something he is very grateful for. He is still fundraising for this year, more necessary than ever due to the recession, and is already looking for sponsors for next year’s trip to help reduce costs for pilgrims.

This year’s pilgrimage sees some changes for the Scottish group. Pilgrims will sail on the Sea of Galilee and are staying for two days in Nazareth.

“Many people aren’t aware that it is a Christian city,” he said.

The former Lord Provost also hopes to build on interest from Edinburgh and beyond to help turn what began as a West of Scotland pilgrimage into a fully national event.

Palestinian Christians

Mr Mosson’s interest in, and support of, Christians and Muslims in Palestine has grown over the past 25 years since he first visited the region in his professional capacity.

He has travelled to the region with former Lord Provosts Bob Gray, Susan Baird and Bob Innes; Catholic groups; Christian groups of different denominations and Muslim groups.

However, he has witnessed first hand what he referred to as the ‘ethnic cleansing’ of the region and the oppressive conditions under which Palestinians live.

“It is important to recognise it is not just a Holy Land for Jews but for Christians and Muslims and others,” he said. “At present Israeli forces restrict Palestinians and their ability to survive.”

He spoke of the percentage population of Christians in the region dwindling from 22 per cent to 2 per cent and of Palestinians having to queue for hours to get into Jerusalem for work and of produce being deliberately delayed at checkpoints, left to rot on the streets.

Mr Mosson is driven to help and does so by bringing pilgrims to the region.

“I hope to keep on doing this for along as God grants me the ability to do so, to encourage people to go,” he added.

Bethlehem and Glasgow

Mr Mosson, a free man of Bethlehem, has enjoyed the hospitality of the mayor of that city. Mr Mosson recalled with joy the moment a friendship agreement was signed between Glasgow and Bethlehem in 1990 Glasgow’s year as City of Culture, followed by an agreement to twin the cities that was ratified in on April 12, 2007, put before Glasgow City Council by councillors including Mr Mosson’s daughter, then Councillor Kirsteen Mosson.

“Our pilgrimages stay in Bethlehem and show how Muslims and Christians live together,” he said.

However his memories of Bethlehem are not all pleasant. He told the SCO of an incident in 1992 when Hanna Nasser, the deputy mayor of Bethlehem, was prevented from visiting the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Good Friday and of women and children being targeted by Israeli forces.

The bonds between Bethlehem and Glasgow continue to this day. A key part of Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem are the pipe bands that parade through the city. Mr Mosson has been involved in raising money for the Syrian Scout band, and thanks to him, the Terra Santa Pipe Band sports Glasgow’s tartan.

Pipers from the Holy Land have also visited Glasgow, with his help, for the World Pipe Band Championships and Mr Mosson hopes one day they will compete at the event, and perhaps even win.

— To support Mr Mosson in his pilgrimage work or to find out more about going on pilgrimage to the Holy Land contact him on 0141 954 3360 or 07711442087