Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) Australia and New Zealand has launched an emergency appeal to support Christian communities in the Holy Land and across the Middle East, as conflict and displacement intensify during Holy Week.
The pontifical charity is seeking urgent donations to provide food, medical assistance and pastoral care to families affected by ongoing violence stretching from Syria, Lebanon and Iraq to Jerusalem and Gaza.
Bernard Toutounji, national director of ACN Australia and New Zealand, said the appeal comes at a critical moment for Christians in the region.
“As Holy Week begins, I ask you to keep the Christians of the Middle East very close to your hearts,” he said.
“These are our brothers and sisters who continue to live and worship in the very places where Christ himself lived, walked, suffered, died and rose again.
“Their presence in these lands is not only a testimony of faith, but a living link to the Gospel itself.”
ACN is working through local church partners, including bishops, religious congregations and the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, to provide emergency assistance to displaced families, maintain essential services, and support parishes under strain.
The charity said its support includes emergency food parcels, access to medicines, trauma support, and assistance to keep schools and parish life functioning despite ongoing instability.
In Lebanon, more than one million people have been displaced, with Catholic churches, schools and care facilities sheltering those fleeing violence. Many institutions are struggling to continue operating as demand exceeds available resources.
In Jerusalem and Syria, Palm Sunday celebrations were held amid heightened tension, restricted access to holy sites and ongoing insecurity.
In Gaza, the Holy Family Catholic parish continues to face severe shortages and the impact of prolonged conflict.
Toutounji said the appeal is both practical and spiritual, calling on Catholics to stand in solidarity with those suffering in the land of Christ.
“In these days marked by uncertainty, fear and hardship, they look to the wider church for prayer, solidarity and support,” he said.
“This Easter, I ask you to be generous. Your support helps families remain in their homes, keep churches open, and continue the Christian presence in the land of Christ.”
He said the presence of Christians in the Holy Land remains vital not only for those who live there, but for the universal Church.
“Standing with them is not only an act of charity — it is an act of faith, and a witness that the Church is one body, wherever her people may suffer,” he said.
ACN warned that without sustained support, Christian communities in the region risk further decline, threatening the continuity of a presence that dates back to the earliest days of the church.
