Patriarch: Amid ‘turmoil of hatred, violence,’ Christians in Holy Land keep spiritual life alive October 7, 2024By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News In a year filled with the “turmoil of hatred and violence” — which Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa described as “terrible, horrible,” it has been very important to keep the “spiritual life of the Christian community,” as well as his own, “alive,” the patriarch said.
In the ‘bleeding region,’ Gaza Strip’s Christian community lifts each other up, defying reality October 6, 2024By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News Even though death surrounds them every day, Gaza Strip’s Christian community tries to “relieve the suffering” by assisting each other with spiritual and material needs.
A ‘living hell’: Survivor of Oct. 7 attack, father of hostage reflect as conflict approaches one year October 4, 2024By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, World News Almost 100 families still await news of their loved ones who continue to be held hostage in the Gaza Strip after being abducted last year. Among those taken on Oct. 7, 2023, is Sagui, the 35-year-old American-Israeli who is the son of Jonathan Dekel-Chen.
Israel plunges into massive protests as Israeli-American, 5 other hostages found dead in Gaza tunnel September 2, 2024By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, World News In what was a devastating Sunday morning for hostage families, Israel said Sept. 1 that it had recovered the bodies of six hostages in Gaza, including Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, whose parents became outspoken global advocates for all hostages to be released.
Holy Land patriarchs call for rapid cease-fire as war’s one-year mark approaches August 29, 2024By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News With the approaching one-year mark of the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip, spurred by the Hamas attack on southern Israeli agricultural communities Oct. 7, the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem urged the warring sides to “reach a rapid agreement” for a cease-fire.
New archaeological discovery in Israel dubbed ‘greeting from Christian pilgrims’ 1,500 years ago June 19, 2024By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, World News The discovery of a Byzantine-period church in the northern Negev, with wall art displaying ships, opens a window to the world of Christian pilgrims visiting the Holy Land 1,500 years ago, according to the Israel Antiquities Authority.
CRS official says agency has been unable to to get aid to southern Gaza Strip since May 6 May 28, 2024By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Disaster Relief, Feature, News, World News As tensions and the number of victims mount in southern Gaza Strip, Catholic Relief Services said it has not been able to get humanitarian aid through to the southern Gaza Strip since May 6 and it no longer has any supplies left in its warehouses in that area, said Jason Knapp, CRS country director for Jerusalem, West Bank and Gaza.
Gaza parish community example of ‘steadfast faith,’ cardinal says May 21, 2024By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, described the small resilient community of the Holy Family Parish compound in Gaza City as one with “steadfast faith,” amid horrific destruction and constant bombardment following his return from a four-day pastoral visit during Pentecost.
‘I desired to be with them,’ says Cardinal Pizzaballa as he visits Catholic parish in Gaza May 16, 2024By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News In a previously unpublicized visit, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, entered the Gaza Strip May 16, reaching Holy Family Parish for his first pastoral visit since the outbreak of Israel-Hamas war following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel.
Saved by a Catholic woman in Poland, a Holocaust survivor has a message for the world May 12, 2024By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News At 83, Alex Rosin, born Elek Rebensztok, is among the youngest child survivors of the Holocaust. As fewer survivors are able to give their testimony, he feels an urgency to tell people his story, especially considering the increasing antisemitism he senses following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on southern Israeli communities and the subsequent war in Gaza.
Caritas Baby Hospital in Bethlehem remains a ray of hope in war-torn Holy Land May 2, 2024By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, Health Care, News, World News Caritas Baby Hospital is now the only exclusively pediatric hospital in the West Bank serving about 50,000 children a year. Caritas in Switzerland and Germany were the first donors to the hospital, but since 1963 the hospital has been affiliated with the Swiss NGO Children’s Relief Bethlehem.
Work brings back their dignity, say West Bank priests who support unemployed Christians March 24, 2024By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News Since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on southern Israeli communities that left 1,200 dead and over 250 kidnapped, Lo’ay Ayyad, 48, a father of two and a successful veteran tour guide in the region, has been largely unemployed as the tourism industry has come to a halt and he has used up almost all his savings.
