Christians In The Middle EaChristians In The Middle East: A Persecuted And Forgotten Peoplest: A Persecuted And Forgotten People
At the beginning of this year, the Christian international network Open Doors presented data on the oppression, discrimination and persecution of Christians around the world. It was announced that between the fall of 2021 and the fall of 2022, 5,621 Christians were killed, 4,542 were arrested, and 5,259 were kidnapped. As many as 2,110 churches and church buildings were
Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem decries attack on Church of Gethsemane
Following an attack on Sunday by two Israeli radicals in the church where the Tomb of the Virgin Mary lies, Patriarch Theophilus III of Jerusalem urges for a better protection of Christians in the Holy Land and their holy places. As Israeli-Palestinian tensions remain high, only a few days ahead of new talks between officials from Israel, the Palestinian
20th anniversary Iraq war: ‘The Church never abandoned its people’
On the 20th anniversary of the outbreak of war in Iraq, the then-apostolic nuncio to the nation recalls his time in Baghdad, where Pope St. John Paul II had sent him as a messenger of peace. Cardinal Fernando Filoni says one of the toughest periods of his life was the war in Iraq. He was speaking to Vatican News exactly
The Custos visits Syria: “Grateful to the Lord for the work of the friars, now we are supporting the Syrian community, the cradle of evangelization”
The Custos of the Holy Land, fr. Francesco Patton, returned from his trip to Syria on 12th March. He had spent ten days visiting the friars and the communities affected by the violent earthquake of 6th February, which sowed destruction and death in an area already harshly put to the test by the war. After a short stop in the community
Letter from the Episcopal Vicar and Catholic Assembly of Bishops to the Minister of Education after the shooting at a Christian school building in Nazareth
Below, we publish the translation of the letter (the copy is attached at the bottom) sent to the Minister of Education (with a copy to the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and other persons in charge), following the incident at the school and convent of the Franciscan Sisters, at Nazareth, which was gunned on Thursday 16 March around 18.30
The Swiss Guards in the Holy Land, the first pilgrimage after the pandemic
The pilgrimage by the Swiss Guards in the Holy Land came to an end on Sunday 19th March. It was the first after the forced pause imposed by the pandemic. The tradition of the Swiss Guards’ pilgrimage started seven years ago, on the initiative of the Vatican military chaplain who realized how important it would be for these young men, at the service of
The patriarchate calls on the international community to support the hashemite custodianship and its protection of jerusalem holy sites
The Patriarchate of Jerusalem, represented by His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, along the Holy Synod and the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre, the clergy and the faithful, condemn the heinous terrorist attack that took place this morning during the Sunday service, at the hands of two Israeli radicals, which targeted the Church of Gethsemane in Jerusalem,
King accepts credentials of new Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Giovanni Pietro Dal Toso
On Wednesday, March 8, His Majesty King Abdullah II accepted the credentials of a number of newly appointed ambassadors to Jordan during a ceremony at Basman Palace. During the ceremony, Holy See's Nuncio Archbishop Giovanni Pietro Dal Toso presented his credentials to the King. Royal Hashemite Court Chief Yousef Issawi, and Minister of State for Prime Ministry Affairs and acting
ACOHL meeting in Jerusalem
JERUSALEM - On March 14th-15th, 2023, hosted by the Syriac Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate of Jerusalem, the members of ACOHL met to discuss the Synod's Continental Assembly, Caritas, as well as the two recently opened offices regarding legal and safeguarding issues for congregations and Catholic Institutions. Also discussed were various nominations within the diocese. by:lpj
Sanctions and humanitarian aid in Syria: a complex balance
A few days after the tragedy of the earthquake that devastated Turkey and northern Syria, the public debate has often focused on a very controversial issue, which at this particular moment constitutes one of the main obstacles to humanitarian aid in Syria: international economic sanctions. In these years of war and again recently Association Pro Terra Sancta, together with at least 40 other