For the second year in a row, few foreign pilgrims were in attendance at the traditional Palm Sunday procession from the Mount of Olives into the Old City of Jerusalem due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.
Jerusalem
Pope, Palestinian Leader Discuss Gaza, Including Call for Cease-Fire
Pope Francis and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas spoke Nov. 2 over the phone about the latest developments in Gaza, stressing the need to seek avenues for peace and calling for humanitarian corridors to allow aid into the region.
U.S. Pilgrims Fled to Safety as Hamas Attacked the Holy Land
A harsh audio signal burst from Sue Thompson’s phone, much like an Amber Alert or a severe weather warning. But this alarm was for something different: rocket attacks in Israel.
Catholic Colleges, Universities Condemn Hamas Attacks on Israel, Pray for Peace
Catholic colleges and universities throughout the U.S. have condemned a devastating attack on Israel, while calling for prayers for peace.
Posing As Priest, Reporter Is Spat At Many Times, Highlighting Increasing Anti-Christian Sentiment In Holy Land
A local Israeli reporter went undercover as a priest and was spat at several times while walking the streets of Jerusalem, Haaretz, the Israeli daily, reported.
Interfaith Leaders March For Peace In Jerusalem As Spiral of Violence In Israel, Gaza Erupts
Faith leaders and activists for coexistence from across Israel gathered in prayer in front of the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem May 10, in a week that once again saw yet another increase in violence between Israel and the Palestinians.
Holy Land Patriarchs in Easter Message Place ‘Ultimate Hope Only God’ Amid Increasing Attacks on Christian Sites
Just as early Christians were sustained by the words of St. Peter describing Jesus’ resurrection as offering a “new birth into a living hope,” so too should the Christians of the Holy Land today be encouraged and empowered by this knowledge as they face tumultuous times, when their own faith continues to be tested, said the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in their March 31 Easter message.
Church Calls For ‘International Protection of Holy Sites’ After Attack on Church at Tomb of The Virgin Mary in Jerusalem
The Greek Orthodox Church March 19 denounced what it called a “heinous terrorist attack” on a church at the Tomb of the Virgin Mary in Jerusalem.
Church Leaders in Jerusalem Call for Calm Amid Fresh Wave of Violence
With rising tensions between Israelis and Palestinians reaching new heights over the past week amid a spate of fresh killings, Church leaders in the West Bank have condemned the violence and called for a lasting resolution that respects international law.
Pope Francis Condemns ‘Spiral of Death’ in the Holy Land
The “spiral of death” that has materialized in the Holy Land in recent days threatens the little remaining trust that exists between Israelis and Palestinians, Pope Francis said.