Many Christians of the Holy Land have rejoiced in the elections of Pope Leo XIV as a successor to Saint Peter. Many of us hope that the new pope will follow the heritage of his predecessor, Pope Francis, in particular with regard to questions of justice and peace.
The Holy See historically played an important role in supporting the Christian presence in the Holy Land, whether through the activities of the Church, commitment with influential parties in and around the region, or by material and moral support. This was reflected in the creation of institutions such as the pontifical mission in Jerusalem, the University of Bethlehem, the Benedictus Center in Nazareth, and more recently, the donation by Pope Francis of the Popemobile to serve as a mobile clinic for children in Gaza.
Some of the most impactful moments in our recent history were papal visits to our country – starting with Pope Paul VI in 1964, followed by Pope John Paul II in 2000, Pope Benoît XVI in 2009, and ending with Pope Francis in 2014.
We, Christians in the Holy Land, hope that Pope Leo XIV will come not only to visit ourselves, but will also help to take up some of the challenges we face today in the birthplace of Christianity. As a community of 230,000 people, we work to strengthen the Christian presence as an active component of local society, in collaboration with its other components. However, we need help.
One of the main problems affecting Christian life in Israel and Palestine is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is a persistent source of regional instability that feeds violence in various forms, which kills a lot, including Christians.
The rise in religious and political extremism means that many of us feel like foreigners in our own homeland. Economic deterioration and the decline in the number of people coming for the pilgrimage to the Holy Land due to the conflict lead to a loss of livelihoods and an aggravation of socioeconomic conditions. Generalized despair leads a lot to emigrate or plan to go in the near future, by reducing the number of our community.
Many local Christians want the Holy See engaging with the main world and regional players to obtain a lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In his last sermon, Pope Francis spoke of the urgent need of peace in Gaza. In his first sermon, Pope Leo XIV called for an immediate cease-fire and the delivery of humanitarian aid to the strip. We congratulate ourselves on these statements and hope that he will continue to do his best to promote peace in the Holy Land.
In Palestine, the situation is not clear due to the Israeli occupation of all territories intended to form a Palestinian state, the current war in Gaza and the limited authority of the Palestinian authority in the West Bank – not to mention the complete annexation of East Jerusalem. This reality calls for a reflected action of the church, both at the level of the Holy See and locally, to give people hope in these dark times.
In Israel, there is an urgent need for cooperation between the Holy See and the Local Church – Bishops, Priests and Believers – to solve many problems that affect Christian and non -Christian communities. It is crucial to work with all the segments of local society to put pressure on the state to treat all its citizens too and preserve their dignity.
Christians hope that the Holy See will be able to collaborate with us in our efforts to achieve equality. As a community, we are faced with Israeli laws which discriminated against us according to ethnicity and religion; We need support in our efforts so that these laws are repealed.
It is also essential to work to solve painful problems which have had a negative impact on the Christian presence, such as the case of the villages of Iqrit and Biram, whose Catholic Christian residents were expelled before their houses were destroyed by the Israeli authorities in 1951. Since then, residents and their descendants have asked for this right.
The Holy See is also necessary to support the Christian institutions operating under Israeli control, which are faced with growing challenges, such as attempts at certain municipalities to impose heavy taxes in violation of past agreements, the clear discriminatory under-funding of Christian schools by the Israeli authorities and threats against the goods of the Church.
Many Christians of the Holy Land also hope that Pope Leo will work to improve unity among them, including efforts to reach a unified date for major religious festivals, especially Christmas and Easter. They also call for an increase in joint efforts among the churches to organize pilgrimages in the Holy Land which include not only visits to religious sites, but also interactions with the faithful who live there. This is important because it would help us to raise awareness of the world to which we are facing and to feel an integral part of the Universal Church.
Overall, Christians in the Holy Land, like their Christian companions from all over the world, wish to see a father in Pope Leo XIV – a father who visits them and welcomes their visits, consults them and listens to their concerns, protects them from damage, holds them on attack or oppressed, and follows, regardless of the power of the adverse, which has never hesitated.
Pope Leo XIV should know that he has many children in the Holy Land who love him and understand how he and the Holy See are occupied with so many problems in the world.
In the Holy Land, Christians prayed – and continue to pray – for its success in its mission, fully aware of its complexity. But above all, children need their father – and that’s what they are waiting for the most: that he will always hold by their side, despite the function he could be held.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of Tel Aviv Tribune.
