“Let us work together to replace despair with HOPE, fear with human SECURITY and humiliation with DIGNITY”

Latest News – Holy Land News

Latest News – Holy Land News2017-02-17T14:17:42+00:00

Mass emigration threatening Christian future in Syria

While members of all faiths are leaving, the exodus threatens to disproportionately impact the country’s Christian community now estimated to number only about 175,000 families. Stark warnings have come from respected Church figures that urgent action is desperately needed to prevent the wipe-out of the Christian community in Syria. Father Basilios Gergeos, a priest ministering in Damascus, told Catholic charity

March 21st, 2024|

Save the Children decries ‘relentless mental harm’ suffered by Gaza children

Save the Children warns of the "complete psychological destruction" Gaza children are suffering due to five months of war. The humanitarian organization appeals once again for a ceasefire and for emergency aid to be able to reach the people immediately. With news of aid shipments finally arriving in Gaza on its shorelines, and from the skies through occasional air drops,

March 21st, 2024|

The day of the Good Friday collection approaches

Interview with Fr. Tony Choucry, bursar of the Custody, on the importance of the Good Friday collection In two weeks' time, on 29 March, Good Friday will be celebrated, the day dedicated to the collection for the Holy Land. In this interview, Fr. Tony Choucry, bursar of the Custody, underlines the necessity of the Holy Land Collection and renews the appeal to

March 21st, 2024|

Reflections from the Holy Land – March 2024 – Life must go on!

Who would have thought in October 2023 that this ugly war would still be going at full force in March 2024? After more than 160 days, the level of destruction and innocent human loss is simply staggering. In Gaza 31,500 people have been killed 70% of whom are women and children; 73,500 people are injured without proper medical support as

March 20th, 2024|

Pope’s Visit to Iraq Still Has Impact for Iraqi Youth

His four-day apostolic visit, 5-8 March 2021, was marked by moments of prayer, fraternity and remembrance with the country’s Christian and Muslim communities. He traveled as “The Samaritan Pope,” bringing the spirit of healing and hope to his meetings in Baghdad, Najaf, Ur, Mosul and Erbil. At the time, Chaldean Archbishop Bashar Matti Warda, C.Ss.R., of Erbil, said the

March 14th, 2024|

Gaza: “We are closer than ever to the crucified Savior”

The Christian community in Gaza is at its lowest point since the start of the war. Phone lines are cut, and online connections are continuously interrupted. One can hardly understand what Sister Nabila is saying: “quite,” “well,” “Church,” and then the line goes dead. This is how things have been for weeks. A few written messages arrive from time to

March 14th, 2024|

Jordan: King Abdullah II receives Vatican Secretary for Relations with States Archbishop Gallagher

His Majesty King Abdullah II on Monday, March 11, received Holy See Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, at Al Husseiniya Palace. According to a Royal Court statement, His Majesty asked the archbishop to express best wishes to Pope Francis, highlighting the deep-rooted relations between Jordan and the Vatican. The meeting covered the dangerous

March 14th, 2024|

Holy Land: the suffering of Catholics in Gaza

Gaza´s Christian community is facing the most difficult time since the outbreak of the war but remain encouraged by their faith, according to local sources. There is a critical shortage of food and clean water, a source in Gaza who wished not to be named told Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). ACN’s source said: “People walk

March 14th, 2024|

Patriarch Pizzaballa: Gaza ceasefire more urgent than ever

“A ceasefire in Gaza is more urgent than ever.” That's the latest appeal for peace launched by Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem. Speaking to Vatican News' Federico Piana, Patriarch Pizzaballa stressed that a ceasefire is possible: “All that’s missing is the will to make it happen.” In the course of the interview, the Patriarch also touched on

March 14th, 2024|

Christians in Iraq still fear insecurity

On March 5, 2021 Pope Francis embarked on his historic Apostolic Journey to Iraq, marking the first visit of a Pontiff to the Middle Eastern nation. During his four-day stay, the Pope visited Baghdad, as well as the Plain of Ur, the birthplace of Abraham, and the cities of Najaf, Nassiriya, Erbil, Mosul, and Qaraqosh, where he met with Christian communities and

March 14th, 2024|
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