Tag: Holy Land

Pope Leo XIV asked Catholics to observe 22 August as a day of prayer and fasting for peace and justice, particularly in Ukraine and in the Holy Land

Catholic leaders in the Holy Land are urging Christians to return on pilgrimage to the region now that a ceasefire has been established between Israel and Hamas.

As news spread about a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, Catholic leaders in the region expressed cautious optimism, while also stressing the importance of peace and addressing humanitarian concerns.

In a heartfelt message at the inauguration of the Jubilee Year in the Holy Land 29 December at the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa emphasised that the indulgence granted during the Holy Year is not a transaction, but a spiritual opportunity to seek forgiveness and reflect on personal transformation.

Christmas this season in the Holy Land will be celebratory despite ongoing bloodshed and war, the Holy Land's patriarchs said. And while visiting Germany, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, encouraged pilgrims to return to the birthplace of Jesus.

Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York, spoke with both the president of Palestine and of Israel before cutting his trip short due to the conflict. He encouraged both to find peace and reprioritisation.

"Despite the war and everything going on around us this year, we have once again chosen to celebrate Jesus' triumphal entry into the Holy City," said Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem.

Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP has called on people of all faiths to unite in a shared commitment to promoting peace.

Australian supporters of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land have pledged to redouble their efforts after hearing from the Latin Patriarch.

Sydney’s Catholics answered Pope Francis’s call for a special day of fasting and prayer for peace on 27 October as death and destruction continued to rage in the Holy Land.

On the eve of his first pilgrimage to the Holy Land, a worried 42-year-old Matt Leslie said a quiet prayer to the Lord. “I asked him to keep me and my wife in his care. And that night, I felt the Lord speak to my heart, promising to keep us safe.”

As the Israel-Hamas war nears its fourth week, the pastor of Gaza's only Catholic church urged prayers for peace, the release of hostages and delivery of humanitarian aid, telling OSV News his parishioners are experiencing "a terrible situation, a crazy situation."