On Sunday, August 10, 2008, His Beatitude Patriarch Fouad Twal will celebrate Mass at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle at 10:00 AM in Washington, DC. The Mass is open to the general public, and Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation (HCEF) encourages all to show their solidarity with the Christians of the Holy Land by joining this exceptional gathering. To further ties of solidarity between Americans and Christians of the Holy Land, HCEF will also table handouts and displays from its world renowned Holy Land Gifts following the Mass at St. Matthew's in the North Conference Room. The Holy Land Gifts collection features olive wood carvings and other artisan crafts from the Palestinian Christian tradition.

The HCEF is honoring Patriarch Fouad Twal with this and other events in the Washington, DC area in early August. The occasion marks Patriach Twal's first visit to the United States since his installment in Jerusalem on June 21, 2008.