The patriarch made the remarks during a gathering hosted by King Abdullah II of Jordan with Church leaders at the baptism site of Jesus Christ, traditionally known as Bethany Beyond the Jordan on May 18.

Located on the eastern bank of the Jordan River, opposite Jericho in the West Bank, the site is venerated by Christians around the world as the place where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. In recognition of its universal spiritual significance, UNESCO inscribed the baptism site on its World Heritage List in 2015.

King Abdullah announced that the Jordanian government will adopt and support an initiative to commemorate the 2,000th anniversary of Christ’s baptism in 2030. The plan includes upgrading infrastructure and services at the baptism site to welcome pilgrims from around the world while preserving its sacred character.The king also emphasized his personal commitment to overseeing preparations, underscoring Jordan’s role in protecting holy sites and supporting the Christian presence in the region.

“This initiative is a call to look forward with faith and responsibility,“ Pizzaballa said. ”The baptism site must remain a living place, where visitors do not simply come to see but encounter God and rediscover the depth of their baptism.”

Church leaders in Jordan welcomed the king’s support for the Baptism Jubilee 2030, describing it as a historic opportunity to strengthen Christian unity and renew the meaning of pilgrimage to the baptism site. They stressed that preparations should begin locally, through the development of facilities, the training of staff, and efforts to ensure that the site remains a place of living faith. They also called for engagement with churches and Christian institutions worldwide to encourage broad participation in the jubilee.

For Church leaders, the jubilee is not only a commemoration of a major moment in Christian history but also a global spiritual event inviting believers everywhere to rediscover the depth of their baptism and to see the baptism site as a symbol of reconciliation and hope.

Pizzaballa expressed deep appreciation for Jordan’s role in safeguarding the site and promoting peace.

“In this blessed land,” he said, “we see in your leadership a living example of how faith can become a bridge between peoples and a foundation for peace in the world.”

The baptism site carries profound spiritual and historical significance. Known in Scripture as “Bethany Beyond the Jordan,” it is the place where Jesus entered the waters to be baptized by John, sanctifying creation and inaugurating his public ministry.

Archaeological remains of ancient churches and monasteries bear witness to centuries of Christian devotion, while modern pilgrims continue to gather there for liturgies, prayer, and reflection.

Since its recognition by UNESCO, the site has become a major destination for Christian pilgrimage, drawing thousands of visitors each year to the banks of the Jordan River.

The 2030 jubilee initiative is envisioned not only as the commemoration of a milestone in Christian history but also as a global spiritual event. It seeks to renew the meaning of baptism for believers, strengthen Christian pilgrimage, and present the baptism site as a beacon of reconciliation and hope.

As preparations begin, Bethany Beyond the Jordan is preparing to welcome the world, offering a tangible connection to the beginning of Christ’s mission and a testimony to faith, peace, and coexistence in the Middle East.

This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

“I have left Palestine, the land I loved, to return to my beloved homeland, Jordan, continuing the mission of the Gospel and justice,” Father Louis Salman wrote in a farewell message to the faithful.

Salman had served in Beit Sahour, at the Shepherds’ Field near Bethlehem, where he had become a much-loved figure among local Christians.

“In a spirit of priestly obedience, I accept all divine will and wisdom with hope and faith despite the deep pain,” the priest said in a message shared by the Bethlehem Institute for Peace and Justice. “I knew that speaking the truth is costly, and here I am paying the price. Not with regret, but with great love, like my crucified Christ.”

The priest described Jesus as his “example and teacher” and concluded his farewell by recalling the words of the Gospel: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Young priest with great pastoral potential

In comments to ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, Bishop William Shomali, vicar general of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, said Salman’s visa “was not renewed because he had made some political statements on Facebook that were considered by Israel to be incitement.”

“The Church did everything possible to resolve the situation, but Shabak [Israel’s internal security service] did not give a positive response,” Shomali said. “The Christian community in general — especially his parish and the young people he served as spiritual director — was deeply affected, especially during the farewell gathering they organized for him.”

Shomali clarified that Salman “was not physically expelled.”

“However, since his visa was not renewed, he was asked to leave discreetly to avoid any further tension,” the bishop said. “That is how the situation unfolded.”

Shomali said the priest’s future has already been arranged, adding that Salman will “soon receive a new assignment in one of our dioceses, since he is a good young priest with great pastoral potential.”

Interrogation and departure

According to sources familiar with the case cited by The Pillar in late April, the priest underwent an unusually lengthy interrogation.

Afterward, authorities of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem reportedly advised Salman to leave Palestine for his own safety. He later received official notification that his visa would not be renewed, with no formal justification provided. The deadline for him to leave was May 11.

According to The Pillar, Jerusalem sources who requested anonymity said the case may mark the first time Israel has intervened so directly in internal Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem personnel decisions.

The same sources said the patriarchate does not plan to make public statements for the time being as it prepares for a possible legal battle expected to be long and complex.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

But while diplomats discuss security arrangements, military withdrawals, and the future of the border, the damage left in southern Lebanon from the latest war triggered by Hezbollah also includes a religious wound: the desecration of Christian symbols and the destruction of places of worship.

Desecration of Christian symbols

In several southern villages, the war has not only left homes destroyed and families displaced but has also affected churches, crosses, and statues of the Virgin Mary — sacred signs that mark the Christian presence in villages where questions of return, protection, and dignity are supposed to be inseparable from the diplomatic discussions.

Recently, two incidents in southern Lebanon brought renewed attention to the desecration of Christian symbols during the war. In one case, an image circulated showing an Israeli soldier placing a cigarette in the mouth of a statue of the Virgin Mary. Before that, another widely reported image showed a soldier damaging a statue of Christ on the cross in Debl.

These incidents were not isolated, however.

During an earlier phase of the war in 2024, a video reportedly showed Israeli soldiers inside a church in Deir Mimas, turning the sacred space into a scene of mockery. In the footage, soldiers appeared to stage a mock wedding between two servicemen, with others laughing, singing, filming, and moving through the church as though it were a place of entertainment rather than worship.

Israel has said the soldiers involved in the desecration incidents were punished and that such behavior is incompatible with the army’s values. After the image of the Virgin Mary statue circulated, the Israeli military said one soldier had been sentenced to 21 days in military prison and another to 14 days, adding that it viewed the incident with “great severity.”

In the earlier Debl case, two soldiers were reportedly removed from combat duty and sentenced to 30 days in military detention after an image showed a soldier damaging a statue of Christ on the cross.

The destruction of Christian places of worship

The incidents involving individual soldiers are only one part of a wider picture. Christian places of worship and religious institutions in southern Lebanon have also been targeted and destroyed during the war.

In Yaroun, a Catholic convent and former school belonging to the Salvatorian Sisters were destroyed by the Israeli army earlier this month. Israel denied that the monastery had been demolished, but Yaroun’s mayor, Adib Ajaka, rejected the Israeli account.

The same village had already seen its church affected earlier in the war, as early as 2024. The Israeli army had also destroyed a statue of St. George.

Around the same period, in October 2024, other Christian villages in southern Lebanon were likewise hit. In Derdghaya, a church of the Melkite Greek Catholic Eparchy of Tyre was struck by an Israeli missile. A priest’s house and three-story building housing parish offices were also destroyed by another missile.

The human toll in Christian villages

Beyond the desecration of symbols and the destruction of churches, Christian villages in southern Lebanon have also mourned civilian deaths during this latest war.

On March 8, Christian farmer Sami Youssef al-Ghafri, from Alma al-Shaab, was killed in shelling. The following day, Father Pierre al-Rahi was killed in an Israeli strike on Qlayaa, prompting an outpouring of tributes online, with many portraying him as a symbol of Christian steadfastness for refusing to leave his parishioners. That same day, Lebanese Red Cross paramedic Youssef Assaf died of wounds sustained during a rescue mission after an Israeli strike in the Tyre district.

On March 12, three young men from Ain Ebel — Chadi Ammar, Elie Attallah, and Georges Khreich — were killed in an Israeli drone strike while trying to repair an internet connection.

Later, on March 28, Georges Soueid and his son Elie were killed by Israeli gunfire while traveling in a pickup truck on the road between Debl and Rmeish.

Some Christian villages in southern Lebanon were heavily damaged or emptied during the war. A few, such as Rmeish near the Israeli border, are mostly untouched. In the few where residents managed to stay, daily life remains extremely difficult: Aid is limited, infrastructure is fragile, and even basic services have been disrupted.

Local accounts point to damaged solar panels, targeted roads, and municipal equipment, including vehicles used for waste collection, destroyed or rendered unusable, making it harder for remaining families to sustain life in their villages.

Aid convoys as a lifeline

Aid convoys have been crucial for the remaining residents of southern Lebanon’s Christian villages. Local Church sources have repeatedly pointed to the role of the apostolic nuncio, who became a key figure in coordinating and encouraging aid efforts to reach isolated communities.

Organizations such as Caritas Lebanon, the Lebanese Red Cross, and L’Œuvre d’Orient have also played an essential role in helping residents receive basic assistance and remain in their villages despite the hardship. This weekend, the local nongovernmental organization Nawraj also reached several of the affected communities, bringing additional support to families still living under difficult conditions.

As U.S.-hosted negotiations between Lebanon and Israel continue, the protection of Christian places of worship, sacred symbols, and livelihoods should be part of the equation, according to the local Christian community.

This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, and has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

The head of the social and humanitarian association told EWTN News on the occasion of its 170th anniversary that the organization was founded in 1856 under the name “Œuvre des Écoles d’Orient,” or “Work of the Schools of the East.” From the beginning, he said, it was built on the conviction that “the formation of minds is the first act of solidarity.”

Since then, the organization has expanded its mission to include education, healthcare, social assistance, humanitarian relief, and the preservation of both tangible and intangible heritage, which he described as “the living memory of Christian communities in the East."

Building on this legacy, he explained that the organization has developed “an organized field presence through local offices and young volunteers.” This presence, he said, aims to “bring the voice of Eastern Christians to decision-makers in Europe and at the level of international institutions,” helping to strengthen their historic presence and safeguard their future in their homelands.

The challenge of migration

Speaking about the main challenges facing Eastern Christians today, de Woillemont said the current situation “is a cause for deep concern.” Political, economic, and military crises, he explained, “weaken entire societies,” while Christians often bear these consequences in a particularly heavy way.“

“The greatest challenge today is migration,” he said. “In several countries, ancient communities face the risk of disappearance because of the lack of economic and security prospects.”

Despite this, he emphasized that “Eastern Christians continue to play their role as makers of peace and dialogue in extremely difficult circumstances, even though they are facing wars they did not choose.”

Education, he added, remains “at the heart of our commitment because it helps build stable societies and limits migration.” He noted that “behind every school that opens or clinic that receives support, there is a family choosing to stay and remain rooted in its land.”

De Woillemont said the organization’s work has also expanded to include healthcare and social assistance, “especially amid the weakness of public systems,” as well as emergency humanitarian relief in times of war and disaster. He also underlined that preserving heritage is a central part of the organization’s mission, because “it is not only about buildings but about the living memory of entire civilizations.”

As part of his appeal for solidarity, de Woillemont addressed Christians in Europe and the United States, saying: “Eastern Christians are not only communities that suffer; they are a richness for the whole Church.”

“Prayer is essential,” he added, “but it must be accompanied by concrete solidarity,” including support for educational, healthcare, and social projects, as well as efforts to make their reality known to the wider public.

He also called for a better understanding of Eastern Christians within Western societies and for greater advocacy with decision-makers, noting that “action by the international community can make a real difference.”

De Woillemont highlighted the importance of building direct relationships through volunteering and twinning initiatives, saying that such experiences “leave a deep impact on the young people who take part in them.”

Looking ahead, he said three major challenges are emerging: the acceleration of migration, the preservation of education and heritage in conflict zones, and the difficulty of mobilizing resources amid multiple crises and declining international attention.“

It is becoming difficult to maintain sustained attention and mobilize the necessary resources,” he said, adding that this requires broadening the support base and strengthening awareness efforts.

At the conclusion of his remarks, de Woillemont expressed “deep appreciation and lasting closeness” to Eastern Christians, saying that “their fidelity, courage, and hope are a witness for the whole Church.”

He stressed that their presence “is essential in their countries,” adding: “They are not only heirs to history but also bearers of the future.”

In this context, he recalled Pope Leo XIV’s call for “a peace that is disarmed and disarming, humble and persevering,” emphasizing that such peace must be based on respect for the sovereignty of states and international law.“

Let them know that we are at their side for the long term, with determination and trust,” he concluded. “We do not forget them, and we remain beside them.”

This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Yet despite the violence and destruction, they have refused to abandon their homes and villages. Much of this resilience has been sustained through the support of Catholic organizations and initiatives, which continue to help families, churches, and communities endure the crisis.

A French Catholic ally in Lebanon

L’Œuvre d’Orient is one of the Catholic organizations that has supported Christian communities in Lebanon long before the war. Its work includes supporting Christian schools, churches, pastoral initiatives, and agricultural projects, as many of these southern communities are largely rural and farming-based.

In a conversation with ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, Vincent Gelot, director of L’Œuvre d’Orient in Lebanon, said the French organization has delivered in 2026 seven humanitarian aid convoys and carried out several visits to villages in southern Lebanon.

“We are extremely close to the local communities. We have known them for a long time, we love them, and we try to remain as present as possible by their side,” Gelot said.

Explaining his approach to humanitarian work, he added: “As far as L’Œuvre d’Orient is concerned, I make it a point to accompany every one of our trucks. I want to be certain the aid reaches its destination and the right people. It is important to be physically present, because when we come, we meet our partners and the villagers and remind them how courageous and important they are. We are trying to maintain this human bond. It is not only about sending trucks and aid but also about being there with them on the ground.”

Gelot described the difficult reality facing Christians in southern Lebanon as being “caught in a vice” between Hezbollah militants attempting to use their villages to launch attacks across the border and Israeli military operations that have left homes, schools, and convents destroyed or occupied. “It is their very existence that is at stake,” he said.

Gelot stressed that many of these villages date back to the time of Christ.

“This is a region visited by Christ, the apostles, and the Virgin Mary. The people are profoundly attached to their land and their villages. It is therefore essential to help them remain on their native land.”

He also praised what he described as the communities’ “peaceful courage and resistance,” saying it is vital to stand beside them and show them the affection, admiration, and support of L’Œuvre d’Orient, its donors, and the Church in France.

However, for him, the stakes go beyond the survival of one community. “It is the very existence of Lebanon that is at stake,” he said, describing the country as a rare model in the Middle East for religious freedom, freedom of conscience, and freedom of the press. He added that Christians in Lebanon continue to hold a unique political, cultural, and historical role that remains vital to preserve.

He also highlighted the close coordination between L’Œuvre d’Orient; the apostolic nuncio, Paolo Borgia; and other Catholic organizations, including Caritas Lebanon.

Caritas on the front lines

Peter Mahfouz, commander and head of the emergency response unit at Caritas Lebanon, has been on the ground assisting communities across southern Lebanon.

Speaking to ACI MENA, he said Caritas teams have been delivering emergency food parcels, hygiene and shelter kits, mattresses, and blankets while also operating mobile clinics that bring medical consultations and essential medication directly to villages cut off from hospitals.

According to Mahfouz, the most urgent needs today include shelter capacity, continuity of medical care for chronic patients, food assistance for families who have lost their income, and mental health support — particularly for children and the elderly. He also stressed the urgent need to maintain humanitarian corridors allowing aid to reach southern Lebanon.

Mahfouz said one of the organization’s biggest challenges is that “the needs are growing faster than the funding.” Access to some villages also remains difficult and at times dangerous, forcing teams to constantly adapt routes and delaying aid distributions.

Furthermore, he stressed that Lebanon’s ongoing economic crisis has not paused during the war: “Fuel, electricity, and the cost of basic food continue to weigh on every family we serve and on our own operations.”

Explaining how Caritas coordinates its work, Mahfouz said local parishes are often the organization’s first point of contact within affected communities.

“They know the families, they know who is most vulnerable, and they open their halls and centers as shelters when needed,” he added.

Caritas works closely with dioceses, religious congregations operating schools and clinics, and other Catholic organizations. “It is a network built on trust that existed long before this war, and that is exactly why it works in an emergency,” he concluded.

Asked what keeps him going despite the exhaustion and risks, Mahfouz pointed to the people themselves.

“The way they welcome us, the way their faces change when they see us arrive, and the prayers they send with us when we leave. You arrive expecting to give something, and you leave realizing they have given you more. That is what carries us through the long days,” he said.

A Polish initiative

The Lebanese Christian diaspora has also played an active role in supporting communities affected by the war, with numerous initiatives mobilizing aid from abroad.

European partners have also stepped up. One example is “Lebanon in Need,” a volunteer crisis committee founded by the Maronite Missionary Foundation in Poland in partnership with 4fund.com as part of the international “Europe for Lebanon” fundraising campaign.

The initiative emphasizes transparency and accountability in humanitarian assistance. All donations are processed through 4fund.com, a payment institution licensed by the Polish Financial Supervision Authority and authorized to operate across the European Economic Area, meaning transactions are subject to anti-money-laundering controls, regulatory oversight, and full traceability.

Organizers also stress that 100% of donations reach the field thanks to the commission-free structure of the partnership. Aid is distributed through trusted local channels, including Caritas Lebanon, the Lebanese Red Cross, and local parishes.

The initiative further relies on continuous coordination between partners to avoid duplication of aid efforts, while regular financial and narrative reports are prepared to ensure transparency with donors.

The Vaticanʼs ongoing support

This week, a screenshot from a video call between parish priests in southern Lebanon went viral after Pope Leo XIV surprised them with a call to express his solidarity and prayers. The Vatican has repeatedly shown support for Lebanon’s Christians throughout the war, not only through words but also through concrete assistance.

The call was organized by the apostolic nuncio to Lebanon, Borgia, who has become a deeply respected and loved figure in these communities. Viewed by many locals as a hero, he has consistently visited front-line villages, even during periods of heightened danger. Beyond diplomacy, he has taken a direct role in relief efforts, helping distribute aid alongside volunteers, carrying boxes from trucks, speaking with residents, and listening to their concerns. He works closely with Catholic organizations and initiatives supporting affected Christian communities in the south.

The call took place May 6 during Pope Leo’s audience in Rome with the apostolic nuncio to Lebanon, Archbishop Paolo Borgia.

During the video call, which took place around 9:45 a.m. Rome time, the Holy Father, who visited Lebanon in December 2025 on his first international trip, reiterated his “encouragement” to the priests “for the work they are doing,” assured them of his prayers, and imparted his blessing, according to Vatican News.

The archbishop, well aware of the suffering endured by the priests there, has been working in the border region with Israel for several months delivering food, basic necessities, and the pope’s encouragement.

Father Toni Elias, parish priest in Rmeish, a village separated from Israel by a forest, said the video call “was beautiful. The pope encouraged us; he told us that he prays for us and supports us, and he gave us his blessing with the hope that peace would soon be achieved.”

“It was a breath of hope and trust that was much needed,” he emphasized.

Regarding Borgia, the priest remarked that “he brings charity; he walks through danger, through bombed-out streets and houses that have been destroyed and razed to the ground. I see in him the mission of his patron saint, St. Paul.”

A priest killed in March

On March 9, Pope Leo XIV expressed his sorrow over the death of Father Pierre al-Rahi, a victim of Israeli shelling that took place that day in southern Lebanon.

“Pope Leo XIV expresses his profound sorrow for all the victims of the bombings in the Middle East these past few days, for the many innocent people, including numerous children, and for those who were helping them, such as Father Pierre al-Rahi, a Maronite priest killed this afternoon in Qlayaa,” stated a communiqué that day from the Vatican Press Office.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

While this process is sometimes presented as part of “reorganization,” many see it as a sign of deeper changes affecting the identity of public space and the balance of its symbols.

The latest changes in Palmyra affected 16 school names. Among the most prominent was that of archaeologist Khaled al-Asaad, whose name became internationally associated with Palmyra after he spent more than four decades as director of its antiquities. He contributed to the discovery, restoration, and documentation of large parts of the ancient city before being killed by ISIS for refusing to reveal the locations of archaeological treasures. He later became an international symbol of the protection of heritage.

Also removed was the name of educator Jumaa al-Bayai, one of the pioneers of educational development in the Syrian Badia. His name was associated with social stability and educational work, and he helped graduate generations of professional cadres in the region.

The changes also included the name of writer and physician Abd al-Salam al-Ujayli, considered one of the pillars of modern Syrian culture. As a novelist and short-story writer, he helped consolidate Syria’s cultural standing, dedicating his life to documenting the identity of the Syrian Badia and serving his community as a doctor.

The name of Huda Shaarawi, an icon of the Arab women’s movement in the 20th century, was also removed. Shaarawi contributed to women’s empowerment and to helping to free women from rigid social constraints by advocating for their right to education and political participation. Her name was replaced at one of Palmyra’s schools with “Al-Shayma bint al-Harith.”

This step does not appear to be isolated. Days earlier, street names in the city of Homs were replaced with other names, removing figures such as Zaki al-Arsuzi, Saleh al-Ali, Sultan al-Atrash, and others.

Schools in several Syrian governorates have witnessed similar changes in recent months. In Aleppo, the names of about 128 schools were changed. The Sami al-Kayyali School, named after the writer and researcher, was renamed Imam al-Ghazali School. Other names were replaced with religious titles, such as Dawn of Islam and Aisha, Mother of the Believers.

The renaming has also affected two schools bearing the names of Christian figures, Mikhail Kashour and Antoine Aswad. The name of poet Nizar Qabbani was nearly replaced with that of one of the Prophet Muhammad’s companions before the decision was reversed. In Damascus, dozens of names were reconsidered, including an attempt to remove the name of playwright Saadallah Wannous, before officials backed down under public pressure.

The wave of school and street renaming, therefore, is not limited to the removal of symbols associated with Syria’s former authorities. It also extends to literary, scientific, and national figures with no connection to the previous government, raising serious questions about the criteria being used in the process.

At the same time, critics point to a clear increase in the adoption of religious names reflecting one particular identity, some of which are not connected to the Syrian context. They say this reflects the dominance of a single narrative at the expense of the country’s historical and cultural diversity.

While there is no objection to a balanced presence of religious figures in public life, critics stress that public space must continue to reflect the mosaic of society. For them, the debate has become a struggle over memory, identity, and Syria’s image.

This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

The patriarch described the digital attack on him as “a war of words, not freedom of opinion, but a worrying decline in the standards of language and values, and a violation of human dignity that no one has the right to infringe upon, regardless of its source or form.”

The digital attack involved the circulation of altered images portraying the patriarch in mocking and degrading ways.

Jowelle M. Howayeck, a Lebanese civic activist and 2022 parliamentary candidate, argued that the campaign is neither spontaneous nor ambiguous in its intent. “It is both intimidation and sectarian provocation, and it is deliberate,” she said.

For Howayeck, the timing is not accidental. She links the campaign to a broader political context in which Hezbollah is “losing political ground,” prompting what she describes as a predictable shift in strategy: “Divert attention from the core issue and construct a new confrontation that can be framed as a symbolic victory.”

In her view, “this is not political engagement. It is crisis management through fear, distraction, and division.”

The campaign, she added, also reflects a deepening rupture between Hezbollah and the Christian community.

Digital confrontations of this kind are not new in Lebanon’s political landscape, but they carry particular risks in a country built on a fragile and strained social contract.

The patriarch himself has been targeted before "because the patriarch represents a form of authority that cannot be coerced or absorbed: moral legitimacy anchored in national identity," Howayeck said. "Whenever his positions align with state sovereignty, they expose a structural contradiction within the opposing project.”

Yarounʼs mayor, Adib Ajaka, rejected claims by the Israeli army that it did not know the buildings were religious places, and the Council of Melkite Greek Catholic Bishops in Lebanon urged the Lebanese government and the United Nations “to protect the property of civilians and religious institutions, citing in particular the village of Yaroun,” according to the Associated Press.

Speaking to ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, Ajaka clarified that some media outlets have been recirculating images of a destroyed church as if they were from the latest incident, but the church itself had already been targeted multiple times since 2024. He stressed that the most recent incident concerns the demolition of the monastery and the school.

Responding to the Israeli army’s claim that “there were no indications that it was a religious building,” Ajaqa rejected the statement as unconvincing, noting that the site was clearly identifiable, bearing a cross and a statue of the Virgin Mary.

He also pointed out that the church had been targeted previously and that footage from 2024 showed the deliberate destruction of a statue of St. George.

Ajaka said images published by Israel showing the diocese and a nearby clinic were used to suggest that the monastery had not been destroyed, but in reality they referred to a separate building housing a clinic run by the Order of Malta. He suggested that the presence of the organization’s flag may have contributed to it being spared so far.

According to Ajaka, the bulldozing operations took place after the ceasefire came into effect. At first, residents did not grasp the scale of what was happening, as they remained in contact with nearby towns such as Rmeish and Ain Ebel, where no strikes or shelling had been reported from Yaroun. This created the impression that the village had not been directly targeted. It later became clear, however, that what had taken place was not bombardment but the widespread bulldozing of homes.

Yaroun is home to about 60 Melkite Catholic families — all of whom fled at the outbreak of the war in 2024. Seventeen families returned during the initial ceasefire period, but many others were unable to do so due to the destruction of their homes. Today, residents remain unable to return, scattered between rented accommodations, monasteries, and relatives’ homes, while some have relocated to nearby Christian villages in the south.

Ajaka noted that assistance to residents has so far been limited, emphasizing that the most urgent need is direct financial support to help cover rent. At the same time, he expressed gratitude for the support provided by the Vatican and for the continued efforts of the apostolic nuncio through regular visits and follow-up on the situation of displaced families.

He also recalled that during the pope’s visit to Lebanon in December 2025, a historic stone from the village church dating back to 1872, engraved with an image of St. George, was presented to him in the hope of drawing attention to Yaroun and its people.

Today, the fate of this stone remains unknown, as the church has been destroyed and residents are unable to return to see what remains. Ajaka stressed that the destroyed homes of the Catholic families there are over a century old and are purely civilian properties.

Church vandalism across Lebanon

The alleged demolitions in Yaroun come amid recent and varied incidents of church vandalism in Lebanon, with multiple places of worship targeted and their contents deliberately damaged.

Among them, the Church of Mar Shalita in Qobeiyat was stormed and vandalized. And in Ajaltoun, the Church of Our Lady was targeted, with intruders stealing items, destroying furniture, and leaving bullets scattered on the floor.

Taken together, these incidents reflect a broader climate in which Lebanese Christians increasingly feel under pressure, facing different forms of intimidation and attack from multiple actors.

This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, and has been adapted by EWTN News English.

Iran is a country with a population of over 90 million inhabitants, where only “between 10% and 15% support the current regime or government” amid the current war, the specialist stated in an interview with “EWTN Noticias,” the Spanish-language broadcast edition of EWTN News.

“Perhaps half of them are true believers — religious fanatics or even extremists — while the other half are people who depend on the regime for their livelihoods, their children’s schools, hospitals, pensions, etc.; they depend on the government and the regime,” he observed.

In his view, another 30% “are politically neutral,” and their “primary interest is the safety of their children and families.” The remaining 50% or 60%, he estimated, “oppose the regime and would like to live under a free, liberal, secular, and Westernized government.”

Life for each of these groups is different, the expert explained.

“In the current war, those who support the regime are in the streets; they support the war, they support the fight against the United States, the continuation of nuclear programs, etc.,” while opponents of the government “mostly fear speaking out because in doing so they are brutally repressed and even killed by the regime,” much like the thousands of people who died in the January demonstrations.

Prisons in Iran

The Iranian political scientist said the country’s prisons fall “somewhere in between” those in Europe and those in some parts of Asia where everything “is very dangerous, there are no medical facilities, and there is no access to the rule of law.”

“The problem in Iran is that there are no civil rights; there’s no access to lawyers. I lived in a cell barely 6 feet across, perhaps 2 meters by 3 meters [about 6 inches by 10 inches] for over a year in solitary confinement,” he recounted.

Tajbakhsh pointed out that if one is in prison for “peaceful political activism” as happened to him, what happens is that “you don’t have access to a lawyer until very, very late in the process. They interrogate you for many, many hours for many months.” Consequently, “the biggest problem is that in Iran there is no fair judicial system for political prisoners.”

Hope for Iran

The expert commented that since 1979, “the majority of the Iranian people have attempted to reform the government by transforming it into a freer, more liberal, and democratic government that respects all religious values, religious freedom, as well as political and social freedom.”

“While it is deeply tragic that war and conflict are part of this process, I fear that it is the government of Iran that is waging a war not only against Americans and Israelis, but also against the majority of its own people, who long to live in a freer society,” he said.

“Islam,” he concluded, “is imposed as the state religion, and so my hope for the future of Iran is political, social, and religious freedom.”

Edy Rodríguez Morel de la Prada contributed to this story.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

The abbot said the Christian faithful in the region, particularly in the heart of Jerusalem, have been severely affected by war, economic crisis, and all manner of hardships.

“If you think this is an Eldorado [utopia] of Christianity, the reality is different,” he said. “All Christians together are less than 2%. For us, dreaming of reaching 5% or 6% would already be a lot,” Schnabel noted in an interview with the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN).

“If you think of the most secularized regions in Europe like the Czech Republic or the former East Germany, even there Christians are many times more numerous than here,” he remarked.

“My fear is that the Holy Land could become a kind of ‘Christian Disneyland,’” he warned. “The holy places will remain, with monks and priests. But there may be no Christian families, no young Christians, no ordinary Christian life,” Schnabel warned.

In 1948, the year the state of Israel was created, Christians constituted 20% of the local population of the Holy Land.

The reality of the Latin Church

The abbot addressed the reality of the Latin-rite Church, which is composed of Arabic-speaking Palestinian Catholics, Hebrew-speaking Catholics, and migrants and asylum-seekers.

The first group includes those Catholics “who live in Israel with citizenship” as well as those without political rights in addition to Christians in the West Bank and the small community of believers in Gaza. This group of Catholics lives under oppression, subjected to the violence of war and the Hamas regime, a situation that Schnabel characterizes as a “double occupation.”

The second group is “a small but growing community, composed of mixed (for example Catholic-Orthodox or Catholic-Jewish) families and integrated into Israeli society.” This reality — being both Israeli and Catholic — is “a new phenomenon,” the monk noted.

Schnabel explained that the migrant group is the largest, comprising “more than 100,000 Catholics” hailing from countries in Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Americas. “They are, in many ways, the most vulnerable,” he noted, due to the precarious working conditions to which they are subjected. “They often have the feeling that it doesn’t matter whether they are there or not."

The economic survival of Christians

He noted that improving housing and employment opportunities would be an important step toward helping these Christian families remain in the region.

“Around 60% of Arabic-speaking Christians depend on tourism. And the last good year was 2019. This is the biggest challenge,“ he explained. ”People leave because they don’t see a future.”

"Pray that there is a future for Christians here,” he urged.

The abbot emphasized that the Church is “neither pro-Israel nor pro-Palestine, but pro-human.” The Church is present “on all sides,” he said.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Within this time crowded with memory, the restoration of Syrian icons emerges as an act of safeguarding identity. It repairs the fractures of time and restores to sacred figures the radiance of a history that runs deep, declaring that protecting this heritage is not a cultural luxury but a struggle for survival carried out quietly by Syrian hands.

In this context, visual artist and restorer Lia Snayej shared with ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, the path that led her into this delicate field. She said that seeing icons burned, damaged by gunfire, or covered with layers of black residue while participating in an exhibition was a shocking experience. That moment pushed her to explore restoration more deeply, before she later specialized in the field academically through a master’s degree in Russia.

Snayej said restoration brings together history, chemistry, and art, adding that protecting an icon is, at its core, protecting history.

Regarding the restoration process, she emphasized that documentation is the most important step and accompanies every stage of the work. Every detail is recorded in a special file that remains with the icon, almost like its “personal identity card.”

She explained that the work begins with studying the history of the piece and its artistic background before preparing a precise restoration plan. Not every icon, she noted, needs restoration; some require only preservation and measures to stop further deterioration. Each icon has its own condition, making restoration similar to medical treatment, with each case requiring a different diagnosis.

Snayej said the main stages of restoration include stabilizing the paint layer using special materials such as “Japanese paper,” followed by cleaning and sterilization. She described this as a very delicate stage, since a mistake could lead to the loss of color. The process then continues with retouching and the addition of a new protective layer.

Assessing the current state of icons, Snayej said the greatest danger is the lack of attention they receive. Many historic icons, she said, are sold outside Syria for very low prices, while original icons are rarely found in homes, where printed reproductions are more common.

She also criticized the neglect of some churches when it comes to restoring their icons. She recalled an incident in Lebanon, where she found two historic icons stored in poor conditions inside a damp warehouse before she took on their restoration.

Snayej also warned against daily practices that damage icons, such as placing candles directly beneath them or cleaning them with materials not intended for that purpose.

Despite the challenges — including the difficulty of obtaining restoration materials and their high cost — Snayej said she remains committed to this path. Her passion, she explained, sometimes leads her to work free of charge in order to preserve a threatened work of art.

Last month, she participated in an exhibition organized by the Greek Orthodox Church in Damascus, where she displayed two historic icons she had restored. One was a Russian icon of St. Nicholas, while the other consisted of four parts depicting the Virgin Mary, with the crucified Jesus at the center.

Snayej said what surprised her most at the event was not the exhibition itself but the level of interest shown by visitors and the number of questions they asked about the history of icons and restoration techniques. For her, this reflected a striking and genuine desire among people to rediscover this heritage.

She concluded by saying that the icon has taught her to respect artistic work and serious research, and that it has transformed her specialization into a personal commitment that goes beyond the limits of a profession.

This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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“Immediately following the incident, the Israel Police opened an investigation, and the suspect was arrested last night,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry said in an X post on Wednesday, condemning the attack that has circulated online and extending “sincere sympathies” to the nun who was attacked.

“He remains in custody, underscoring Israel’s firm policy against violence and its determination to bring offenders to justice swiftly,” the post said.

Bishops of England and Wales elect new president

Archbishop Richard Moth of Westminster in London will serve as the next president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales.

“It’s a real privilege to be in this position and I really pray that, with my brother bishops, I’ll be able to serve the Catholic Church in England and Wales,” Moth said in a press release Friday. “We look at the challenges in the world around us and that very often shapes our priorities. But it’s not just about being reactive, it’s about having a real consciousness that the Gospel message is an eternal message, the fact of God’s love for us all. That’s something that’s unchanging, and it’s about bringing that message into the world.”

Moth succeeds Cardinal Vincent Nichols, who has served as president since April 2009.

Polish TikToker surpasses Guinness World Record for charity livestreaming

A 23-year-old Polish TikTok influencer, Patryk “Łatwogang” Garkowski, has landed in the Guinness World Records for the longest charitable livestream, which he ended on Sunday, April 26, at 21:37, the time of Pope John Paul IIʼs death on April 2, 2005.

The nine-day livestream raised over 251 million zlotys (around $63 million) for a children’s cancer charity, according to a report Monday from EWTN News Poland, which noted the symbolic ending of the livestream and was “a moving testimony of unity, solidarity, and hope.”

Kuwait cathedral hosts interchurch prayer for peace

Holy Family Cathedral in Kuwait hosted an interchurch prayer gathering for peace in Kuwait and the wider Middle East, bringing together Church leaders, diplomats, Christian and Muslim worshippers, and members of several national communities, ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, reported Wednesday.

Bishop Aldo Berardi, apostolic vicar of Northern Arabia, led the prayer in the presence of Archbishop Eugene Nugent, the apostolic nuncio. In his remarks, Berardi urged those present not merely to speak about peace but to become active peacemakers, choosing dialogue amid division and hope amid despair.

The gathering concluded with representatives of different churches lighting candles and offering prayers in several languages for the safety and peace of Kuwait, known locally as “Dira al-Khair.”

South Sudan bishop mourns 14 killed in plane crash, calls for aviation safety

Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala of South Sudan’s Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio has expressed deep sorrow following a tragic April 27 plane crash along the Yei-Juba route in South Sudan, claiming the lives of all 14 people on board.

“We stand in prayer and solidarity with the bereaved families, the government of South Sudan, the aviation company, and the entire nation during this painful moment,” Kussala said according to a report from ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, on Tuesday.

“To the families, may God console your hearts and grant eternal rest to the departed. To the nation, may this tragedy renew our commitment to protecting human life,” he said. “We strongly appeal for serious scrutiny, strict safety measures, and accountability to prevent such loss in the future, especially as air travel remains a vital means in our context.”

Egypt moves toward advancing historic Christian personal status law

Egypt is moving closer to approving what could become the first unified personal status law for Christians, after the Council of Ministers approved a draft bill and prepared to send it to Parliament, ACI MENA reported Tuesday.

The measure, decades in the making, reflects Article 3 of Egypt’s constitution, which recognizes the principles of Christian and Jewish religious laws as the main source for their personal status matters.

The draft personal status law for Christians is the result of consensus among six Egyptian churches and would address engagement, marriage, divorce or annulment, custody, visitation, inheritance, and family dispute settlement.

For the Catholic Church in Egypt, spokesman Bishop Hani Nassif Wasef Bakhoum Kiroulos said the Church helped shape the text while preserving its doctrinal autonomy, especially on marriage impediments, annulment, consent, and the form of celebration.

Nigerian archdiocese announces prayers of reparation after chapel vandalized

The Archdiocese of Owerri, Nigeria, has directed a week of prayer in reparation following the desecration of a chapel in the archdiocese by unknown assailants.

The archdiocese announced with “great sadness” in an April 30 statement the desecration of the adoration chapel of St. Mulumba Parish and renewed calls for stricter adherence to Eucharistic norms, ACI Africa reported Thursday.

The statement comes after an unknown assailant broke into the adoration chapel of the parish and stole the monstrance holding the Blessed Sacrament. Describing the act as a grave irreverence, Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji directed that all parishioners of St. Mulumba Parish observe a week of prayer in reparation.

Hundreds of Catholic schools in England to join ‘academies’

The Archdiocese of Liverpool in England has announced that all of its Catholic schools will be asked to join three Catholic Multi Academy Trusts as part of its plan “A Family in Christ: Our Future Together,” which aims to “secure and enhance” education in the archdiocese.

“The proposal to build the academy framework is a means of protecting our schools for the future to ensure that we can continue to offer excellent Catholic education to the future generations,” Archbishop John Sherrington of Liverpool said in a statement Thursday.

The archdiocese has a network of nearly 230 schools, according to its website. Schools belonging to religious orders may decide whether to join academies.

“I believe we are better together, working together to serve the mission, having greater support for staff and keeping control of our educational system for the future generations of Catholic children and others,” Sherrington said.

“Iʼm here in the prime ministerʼs office with an extraordinary group of young men and women. These are Christian soldiers, men and women, in the Israel Defense Forces,” Netanyahu said in a video as he sat at his desk, flanked by the soldiers. “They fill all the important positions in our incredible military, and they do incredible work.”

Up to 1,000 of the roughly 185,000 Christians with Israeli citizenship serve in the IDF. While some have been drafted, the majority serve as volunteers. 

The meeting was scheduled at a time when Israel faces mounting criticism over the country’s treatment of Christians in both Israel and south Lebanon, where Israeli forces are fighting the Iran-backed terror group Hezbollah. On April 19, an IDF soldier destroyed a statue of Jesus in the village of Debel in southern Lebanon. The same week, a video showed an IDF vehicle destroying a large solar energy panel near the same Lebanese Christian village. 

There were also 180 reported anti-Christian incidents — from spitting at Christian clergy to defacing church property — in Israel in 2025, according to the Religious Freedom Data Center, an Israeli nongovernmental organization that tracks these incidents. 

In contrast to other Middle Eastern countries, Israeli law grants full rights to its small Christian community. But Christian emigration from both Israel and Palestine has increased in recent years, fueled by wars, financial instability, and anti-Christian acts by both Jews and Muslims. 

Appointment of special envoy

Reflecting the growing crisis between Israel and Christians around the world, on April 23 the government appointed diplomat George Deek, an Orthodox Christian, to serve as special envoy to the Christian world. Deek previously served as Israel’s ambassador to Azerbaijan.

In a statement announcing Deek’s appointment, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said Israel “attaches great importance to its relations with the Christian world and with its Christian friends around the world. I am confident that George, a respected and experienced diplomat, will greatly contribute to the friendship and strengthening of the ties between the state of Israel and the Christian world.”

During Sunday’s meeting with soldiers, Netanyahu said that “Israel fights for the rights of Christians around the Middle East” and noted that “Israel has Christian soldiers who fight for the defense of Israel and for our Christian brethren throughout the area, throughout the region, and beyond."

Netanyahu said he was “impressed” by the soldiers’ personal stories, “their commitment, their sacrifice, their achievements.”

Juergen Buehler, head of the evangelical International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, said it was gratifying to be invited to the meeting, where 17 evangelical Christian soldiers and about 20 Arab Christian soldiers spoke at length with the prime minister.

“It was an extraordinary meeting, which lasted for at least one-and-a-half hours. At first, the prime minister went around and greeted each soldier personally. It was a very open discussion,” Buehler said.

Given the opportunity to share some of the challenges of being a Christian IDF soldier, “an Arab Christian soldier told Netanyahu that he doesn’t face any challenges in the IDF for being Christian, but when we go home, it’s a different reality,” Buehler related.

Buehler said the gathering was particularly important after the back-to-back incidents in southern Lebanon.

“One purpose of the meeting was to signal from the government that Christian soldiers are appreciated. Christians here are a minority within a minority within a minority, so it provided a unique window for the government to see why we serve. We are Zionists, but there are issues when you are a minority.”

Buehler said the soldiers told Netanyahu that the government must work harder to raise the profile of Israel’s small Christian population. 

“Israel needs to make sure that the next generation of Israelis are taught that Christians are part of the state of Israel and that there are many Christians around the world who stand with Israel,” Buehler said. 

Shadi Khalloul, a Maronite Christian from northern Israel, agreed.

“Israel needs to normalize that Christians have a place here in this country, and it must stop Jewish and Muslim extremists. These extremists like the ones we saw in southern Lebanon do not represent the Israelis, the IDF, or the Jewish spirit,” said Khalloul, an IDF veteran.

The document, titled “They Returned to Jerusalem with Great Joy,” addressed the impact of the Hamas terrorist attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, and proposed a spiritual, pastoral, and communal path for Christians living in the region.

Jerusalem, ‘heart of the world’

In one of the most forceful passages of the letter, the cardinal stated that “the heart of the world is in Jerusalem.” He noted that millions of pilgrims arrive in the holy city every year and that their recent absence due to the war underscores its universal significance.

“Jerusalem belongs to no one exclusively; it belongs to everyone,” he wrote, warning that events in the city affect “billions of believers" and pointing out that the international community has a duty to safeguard “Jerusalem’s universal mission.”

Pizzaballa denounced the “dehumanization of the other” and growing social fragmentation in which entire communities retreat into themselves.

He also warned of the loss of meaning of concepts such as “dialogue,” “justice,” or “human rights,” which today seem hollow in the face of violence.

The mission of Jerusalem: ‘To heal the nations’

In light of this landscape, the patriarch proposed a vision inspired by the Bible, specifically the Book of Revelation, in which Jerusalem appears as an open city, called to welcome and reconcile.

Within this framework, he said the vocation of the holy city is “therapeutic,” to heal the world.

The cardinal insisted that Christians living there are not a neutral party to the conflict but rather living members of their societies, whether Arab, Israeli, Jordanian, or foreign, called to be “salt, light, and leaven” from within.

Rejecting violence and choosing life

The cardinal also said that living according to the Gospel entails a concrete choice: to reject the logic of violence, falsehood, and exclusion.

However, he clarified that this rejection is not a condemnation of individuals but rather of the systems of sin that deny human dignity. “The city with open doors does not expel but clearly defines what is incompatible with its very existence,” he noted.

Concrete proposals for pastoral life

In the final section of the letter, the patriarch offered practical guidelines for Christian communities, highlighting the centrality of prayer and liturgy, the role of families as “domestic churches,” and the importance of schools as a place for coexistence and formation.

“Prayer is not a means. It is a moment of love and encounter with God,” he affirmed, emphasizing that it is “the heart, the breath. It is what keeps our community alive.”

The prelate also highlighted the key role of education: Schools must be “true workshops of a new humanity,” where people learn to coexist and engage in dialogue.

Likewise, the patriarch underscored the value of social works — hospitals, Caritas centers — as places where the encounter between people of different religions is already being lived out and highlighted the role of young people, families, priests, and religious men and women as protagonists of hope.

He also emphasized the urgency of ecumenical and interreligious dialogue, not only at the institutional level but also in daily life, and the need to educate for peace and respect.

A call to hope

The patriarch urged against succumbing to skepticism or despair despite ongoing violence. “The question is not how to escape the conflict but how to live within it as believers,” he pointed out.

Finally, evoking the Gospel of St. Luke, he invited the faithful to “return to Jerusalem with joy” — not a naive joy but a paschal one, founded on the certainty that “light conquers darkness and love disarms hatred.”

The cardinal concluded by entrusting this journey to the intercession of the Virgin Mary and reminding the faithful that, even amid war, the Church is called to be a living sign of hope.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Melkite Greek Catholic priest Father Marios Khairallah told ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, that he returned to the Lebanese town of Tbenine on April 17 following the ceasefire that had come into effect. Entering the church, surrounded by shattered glass, he found the consecrated bread exactly where he had left it weeks earlier — unchanged despite the absence of people for 47 days. He described the discovery as a confirmation of God’s enduring presence amid suffering.

“After 47 days, there is no scientific explanation for why the bread did not spoil,” Khairallah said. “But for us, this is not strange, because we believe this is the body of Christ. This is our faith, it is neither new nor unfamiliar. We believe in God’s presence in the Eucharist.”

He said the story was a “message of hope for the parish,” adding: “It is true that there is destruction in Tbenine. But there is also an encounter with Jesus… Jesus waited for us for 47 days, without human presence.”

Khairallah also noted that a statue of the Virgin Mary remained standing amid the devastation, describing her as “the mother who awaits her children.”

Khairallah also spoke about the situation of residents, noting that the town is home to around 55 Melkite Catholic families who were forced to leave due to the war. After the ceasefire, some returned temporarily to retrieve clothes and belongings, while most are now staying with relatives, in rented apartments, schools, monasteries, or with friends.

The priest pointed out that aid remains almost nonexistent so far, except for assistance that arrived through a papal mission, while some individuals have helped provide medication.

He also praised the role of the apostolic nuncio to Lebanon, Archbishop Paolo Borgia, describing him as “a true shepherd and father who cares for everyone” and noting that “he does what no one else does, visiting us even under shelling.”

As for the town itself, he said it suffers from an almost complete lack of basic necessities: no water, no electricity, and no internet, along with harsh cold that worsens the already difficult conditions. He explained that most of Tbenine’s residents are of limited means: retirees, teachers, soldiers, and farmers with no affluent class able to absorb the impact of the crisis.

This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, and has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

“In full coordination with the local community of Debel in southern Lebanon, the damaged statue was replaced by IDF troops,” the Israeli military announced in an April 21 post on X.

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“The Northern Command worked to coordinate the replacement of the statue from the moment it received the report of the incident,” they said. “The IDF expresses deep regret over the incident and is working to ensure that it does not happen again in the future.”

The response comes after a photo circulated on social media that showed an Israeli soldier striking the face of Christ on a damaged crucifix with a sledgehammer. Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, called the act “a grave affront to the Christian faith.”

In a separate post, the IDF confirmed that the soldier depicted with the sledgehammer and the soldier who took the photo will receive 30 days of military detention and will be removed from combat duty.

Six other members of the IDF were present and did not act or report the incident, according to the IDF. Those soldiers were summoned for "clarification discussions” and further actions might be taken.

The IDF’s inquiry determined that the conduct of the soldiers involved “completely deviated from IDF orders and values.”

According to the IDF: “Procedures regarding conduct with religious institutions and symbols were reinforced to the troops prior to their entry into the relevant areas and will be reinforced again for all troops in the area following the incident.”

The post stated that the chief of general staff “condemned the incident and stated that it constitutes unacceptable conduct and a moral failure, far exceeding any acceptable standard and contradicting IDF values and the expected conduct of its troops.”

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In a statement through the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land on April 20, Pizzaballa said even amid the destruction of the statue, “the cross remains unassailable in its meaning.”

“As St. Paul the Apostle declares, ‘Far be it from me to glory except in the cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ’ (Gal 6:14),” his statement read. “For believers, the cross endures as a source of dignity, hope, and redemption, and as a summons to overcome violence through sacrificial love.”

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on April 19 confirmed the authenticity of a photo on social media showing one of its soldiers using a sledgehammer to strike the face of Christ on the statue in the village of Debel, which is more than 95% Catholic and more than 99% Christian.

The photo shows that the statue was already damaged before the photo was taken, with Christ’s body hanging upside down off of the cross, with only his feet connected to the wood. Photos do not show how the initial damage occurred prior to the soldier using the sledgehammer.

After confirming the authenticity of the photo, the IDF announced an investigation into the matter on its official X account. The IDF promised “appropriate measures will be taken against those involved in accordance with the findings” and that the IDF is helping the community restore the statue.

“The IDF is operating to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure established by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and has no intention of harming civilian infrastructure, including religious buildings or religious symbols,” the statement read.

Netanyahu said in a post on X he was “stunned and saddened” by the actions, and “I condemn the act in the strongest terms.” He promised a criminal investigation and said military authorities “will take appropriately harsh disciplinary action against the offender.”

“We express regret for the incident and for any hurt this has caused to believers in Lebanon and around the world,” Netanyahu added.

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Catholic leaders condemn act

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, condemned the destruction of the statue as “a grave affront to the Christian faith” in a statement issued through the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land, of which he is the president.

He said the assembly “expresses its profound indignation and unreserved condemnation of the desecration of a representation of Jesus crucified by an Israeli soldier in a Lebanese village” and warned the action “adds to other reported incidents of desecration of Christian symbols by IDF soldiers in southern Lebanon.”

“It further reveals a disturbing failure in moral and human formation, wherein even the most elementary reverence for the sacred and for the dignity of others has been gravely compromised,” Pizzaballa said.

The assembly called for “immediate and decisive disciplinary action, a credible process of accountability, and clear assurances that such conduct will neither be tolerated nor repeated.”

Pizzaballa said that even amid the destruction of the statue, “the cross remains unassailable in its meaning.”

“As St. Paul the Apostle declares, ‘far be it from me to glory except in the cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ’ (Gal 6:14),” the statement read. “For believers, the cross endures as a source of dignity, hope, and redemption, and as a summons to overcome violence through sacrificial love.”

Pizzaballa said “it is precisely in this light that the Church continues to proclaim that true peace cannot be born of violence” and quoted Pope Leo XIV, who cited the words of Christ in Matthew 26:52, that true peace must remain “unarmed… a peace that calls to ‘put [the] sword back into its sheath.’”

“For this reason, the assembly renews, with urgency, its call to bring to an end the war that has tormented this region for far too long, and to embrace a path where peace is witnessed in restraint, dialogue, responsibility, and reverence for the sacred and for every human life,” Pizzaballa concluded.

Catholic villages in the south

Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a 10-day ceasefire on April 16, but the IDF remains stationed throughout much of the land south of the Litani River, which includes the Catholic villages of Debel, Rmeish, and Ain Ebel.

Most people in southern Lebanon are Shia Muslim, but the region includes Sunni villages and Christian villages and religiously mixed villages.

More than 1 million people fled their homes, but about 150,000 people — including Catholics — stayed in southern Lebanon despite Israeli evacuation orders over fears they may not have been allowed back if they left. Some people have returned to their homes during the ceasefire.

Catholic organizations have provided shelter and aid to those displaced and those who remain in the south throughout the war. Less than two weeks ago, a Vatican humanitarian convoy was caught in the crossfire between Israeli and Hezbollah forces.

Early in the war, a Catholic priest named Father Pierre al-Rahi was killed in Israeli strikes. The Lebanon Ministry of Health has confirmed at least 2,294 deaths during the conflict.

The election took place during the synod’s meetings held in Rome since April 9.

This election comes at a critical time for both the Chaldean Church and the wider region amid ongoing political challenges in Iraq and the Middle East, as well as internal ecclesial issues related to unity and the organization of Church life both locally and in the diaspora.

Following the election, the Chaldean bishops issued a statement saying: “After deep spiritual and fraternal deliberations, conducted in a spirit of prayer and ecclesial discernment, and mindful of the apostolic responsibility entrusted to them, the fathers of the synod elected the patriarch of the Chaldean Church according to the established canonical procedures. After completing the required ballots, and in accordance with the will expressed by the synod, His Excellency Archbishop Amel Shamon Nona was elected patriarch of the Chaldean Church and chose for himself the name His Beatitude Patriarch Mar Paul III Nona.”

The statement continued: “His Beatitude accepted the election in accordance with canonical norms, expressing his reliance on God’s grace and his commitment to exercise his patriarchal ministry with fidelity and responsibility, in full communion with the fathers of the synod, in service of the unity of the Chaldean Church and its mission in the homeland and the diaspora.”

“The fathers of the synod raise their prayers to the Lord Jesus Christ, the good shepherd, asking that he grant the elected patriarch wisdom and strength,“ the statement continued. ”They affirm their confidence that this ministry will contribute to strengthening the faithful in their faith, enhancing their unity, and revitalizing the Church’s mission in bearing witness to the Gospel.”

The synod also called on all members of the Chaldean Church — clergy and faithful alike — to unite around the new patriarch and support him through prayer and shared responsibility for the good of the Church and the growth of its mission.

Nona was born in Alqosh in northern Iraq in 1967. He was ordained a priest in 1991 after completing his studies at the Patriarchal Seminary in Baghdad. He later pursued higher studies in Rome, earning a doctorate in theological anthropology from the Pontifical Lateran University.

He served in the parishes of Alqosh before being appointed archbishop of Mosul in 2009, during a period marked by escalating violence against Christians in Iraq.

During the events of 2014, he left Mosul along with his faithful following the takeover of the city by the terrorist group ISIS, marking a pivotal moment in the modern history of the Chaldean Church.

In 2015, the Holy See appointed him head of the Chaldean Eparchy of St. Thomas the Apostle in Australia and New Zealand, where he continued his pastoral ministry among the Chaldean diaspora.

His appointment comes following the resignation of Cardinal Raphael Sako, who announced that he submitted his resignation to Pope Leo XIV of his own free will on the morning of March 9 so he could “dedicate himself quietly to prayer, writing, and simple service.”

The timing sparked controversy within the Chaldean community.

Pope Leo XIV on March 10 accepted the resignation of Bishop Emanuel Shaleta, a Chaldean Catholic bishop arrested in San Diego in March on charges of embezzling Church funds.

Sako had allegedly attempted to support or transfer the embattled bishop to a higher position, leading many to question whether the financial scandal played a role in the patriarch’s decision.

This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

“The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement. And I think that’s bad news for Iran much more than it’s bad news for the United States of America,” Vance told reporters in Islamabad, where the meetings took place. “We’ve had a number of substantive discussions with the Iranians. That’s the good news.”

He added that the core impasse remained Iran’s nuclear ambitions: “But the simple fact is that we need to see an affirmative commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon, and they will not seek the tools that would enable them to quickly achieve a nuclear weapon. That is the core goal of the president of the United States. And that’s what we’ve tried to achieve through these negotiations.”

Vance emphasized that the U.S. side negotiated “in good faith,” but Iran “has chosen not to accept our terms.” He further noted: “We leave here with a very simple proposal, a method of understanding that is our final and best offer. We’ll see if the Iranians accept it.”

Iran has insisted the aims of its nuclear program are civilian.

The high-level face-to-face talks in Pakistan, a mediator between the two countries, followed weeks of military confrontation that began in late February and produced a tenuous two-week ceasefire, which ends April 22. With no deal secured, the future of that truce now hangs in greater uncertainty.

Despite the breakdown in negotiations, Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar pushed both sides to continue to "uphold their commitment to ceasefire."

Vance, a Catholic convert and Iraq War veteran, has reflected on the moral weight of these national security decisions in the context of his faith. Speaking to the Washington Post last week about U.S. actions to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, he said: “I certainly hope that God agrees with the decision that Iran shouldn’t have a nuclear weapon, but I’ll keep praying about it.” He added that his approach has been “to pray that we are on God’s side” because “that would mean a lot of innocent people dead.”

Catholic leaders in the U.S. and at the Vatican have responded to the broader conflict with strong calls for peace and a return to dialogue.

In Rome, Pope Leo XIV led a peace vigil at the Vatican on April 11, where he delivered a forceful appeal against the violence.

“Enough of war!” he declared, lamenting the human and spiritual cost of the fighting. He stressed that prayer is “the most free, universal, and disruptive response to death" and is among the things that “break the demonic chain of evil and put themselves at the service of the kingdom of God; a kingdom in which there is no sword, no drones, no revenge, no trivialization of evil, no unfair profit but only dignity, understanding, and forgiveness.”

He and other Catholic leaders have drawn on the Church’s just war tradition, which holds that the use of force must meet strict moral criteria, including just cause, right intention, last resort, proportionality, and discrimination between combatants and noncombatants.

The Holy Father called on all parties to reject escalation and instead commit to patient, honest dialogue aimed at genuine coexistence and the protection of civilians.

“Stop! Itʼs time for peace! Sit at tables of dialogue and mediation, not at tables where rearmament is planned and death actions are deliberated,” he said.

At a special Mass for peace held in Washington, D.C., also on April 11, Cardinal Robert McElroy argued that the current war fails to meet the strict criteria of just war theory, particularly in light of civilian suffering and the risk of disproportionate harm.

The cardinal urged the faithful to pray for an immediate end to hostilities and for diplomats to pursue a just settlement that protects human life.

Predicting the failure of negotiations “because of recalcitrance on both sides” and the United States’ reentry into hostilities after the ceasefire, he said: “At that critical juncture, as disciples of Jesus Christ called to be peacemakers in the world, we must answer vocally and in unison: No,” he said. “Not in our name. Not at this moment. Not with our country.”

He warned of the “expansion of the war far beyond Iran, the disruption of the world economy, and the loss of life.”

“The fighting between Hezbollah and Israel was intense. We waited a long time three kilometers from the village while hearing gunfire and explosions, but we could not continue and had to suspend the mission,” Monsignor Hugues de Woillemont, general director of l’Oeuvre d’Orient, told ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News.

De Woillemont traveled to Lebanon as a representative of the French Catholic aid organization and of the Church in France “to celebrate Easter, to show support and friendship, and also to thank Christians for their witness.”

Although the convoy was under the protection of soldiers from the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, UNIFIL, he said “security conditions were not sufficient for us to carry out our visit or deliver the aid, which was a great disappointment for the Christians we wanted to visit.”

The aid was headed to Debel, a village just over a mile from the southern border with Israel in the Maronite Diocese of Tyre, where nearly 10,000 Christians live in about 20 parishes.

Residents there remain under an evacuation order issued by the Israeli army, but many Lebanese Christians have chosen to stay in their homes.

“That is why we wanted to bring a truck of humanitarian aid and, above all, to show our friendship and closeness to the Christians there,” De Woillemont said.

The region south of the Litani River makes up about 15% of Lebanese territory. Christian communities there are trying to remain in their villages despite the threat of Israeli annexation, and their situation reflects the long-standing vulnerability of Lebanon’s Maronite Christians, who often bear some of the conflict’s heaviest consequences.

L’Oeuvre d’Orient has distributed tons of humanitarian aid throughout Lebanon, but De Woillemont said the group, like other humanitarian and religious organizations, is reaching its limits.

“The situation is untenable,” he said.

The convoy he joined was the seventh sent to villages in southern Lebanon.

“We are determined to return as soon as conditions allow,” he said, while praising the courage and resilience of Christians in the land once walked by Christ.

On Wednesday, De Woillemont was able to visit three other villages with Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rai, where they delivered 30 tons of humanitarian assistance — mainly food and hygiene kits — without incident.

“We were able to show our support and admiration for those who remain in their homes,” he said.

“For us it was a moment to measure up close the restrictions and dangers they — the living stones — experience every day,” he added after spending another night listening to the sound of detonations.

He said that in recent hours, the fall of about 100 Israeli projectiles in just 10 minutes overwhelmed hospitals and makeshift shelters.

“Recent Israeli bombings have affected more than 100 cities, causing more than 100 deaths and 800 injuries, including in Beirut. The situation is terrible and requires urgent help,” De Woillemont said, lamenting that the ceasefire with Iran does not apply to Lebanon.

Lebanon is also facing a severe humanitarian crisis, with 1.2 million internally displaced persons — about 20% of the country’s population of 5.5 million.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

The documentary highlights Lebanon’s religious diversity and richness, especially among members of its Christian community. It examines their history, the reality of their presence today, and the sources of their resilience amid a complex political landscape and the challenges of economic crisis, war, and emigration, as well as the role of the younger generation and its efforts to build a brighter future.

Opening with a sweeping scene from atop the statue of Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa overlooking Beirut, journalist Colm Flynn begins his journey through a people known for their cultural richness, deep faith, and steadfast endurance, searching for an answer to one pressing question: What does the future hold for Lebanon?

Charbel and Leo 

The documentary was filmed during Pope Leo XIV’s historic visit to Lebanon, his first apostolic journey there, late last year. Its producers chose to focus on one of the visit’s most prominent stops: the Monastery of St. Maron in Annaya. In the documentary, Father Louis Matar, the monastery’s caretaker, where Lebanon’s best-known saint, St. Charbel, is buried, recounts the saint’s life in its successive stages.

He points to the saint’s special place among Lebanese people and believers more broadly as well as his worldwide renown. Many visit his tomb asking for his intercession, trusting that God will answer their prayers. The number of visitors to his shrine surpassed 4.5 million in 2025 — including Pope Leo.

An ancient history

The documentary traces the history of Christianity in Lebanon back to the first century, when the first apostles and their disciples brought the good news there. It shows how Christianity took root over the centuries, with religious orders flourishing and churches thriving, especially the Maronite Church, which remained in communion with Rome and helped shape the country’s religious and cultural identity.

In this context, Bishop Michel Aoun, president of the executive committee of the Assembly of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Lebanon, in the documentary highlights the connection between the apostles Paul and Mark and the Lebanese cities of Tyre and Byblos as evidence of Christianity’s presence in Lebanon from its earliest centuries. He notes that Christians made up nearly 60% of the population at the time of the country’s founding, compared with about 30% today.

Lebanon’s Christians and Muslims

Recalling the words of St. John Paul II, “Lebanon is more than a country; it is a message,” Aoun says views differ regarding Christian-Muslim coexistence in Lebanon. Some believe what unites them is greater than what divides them and attribute the fragility of coexistence to Lebanon’s being caught in conflicts larger than itself. Others warn that Christians’ political role has shrunk, leaving them to pay the price for conflicts in which they are not a party.

Ongoing suffering

The documentary also revisits painful events that have shaken Lebanon, beginning with the civil war in the mid-1970s, which divided Beirut into eastern and western sectors, followed by the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, the financial and economic collapse, the Beirut port explosion, and the war now raging and its consequences for the country, especially the towns and villages of the south.

A shared bleeding

Successive wars and crises have forced Lebanese people, both Christians and Muslims, to emigrate. Notably, Lebanon’s population is about 6 million, while nearly 15 million other Lebanese live abroad around the world. Some have returned in an attempt to build a new life in their homeland, but others, according to the documentary, do not seem to be thinking of returning.

Sharbel Bou Maroun, president of the Levant Center for Studies and Research, says the economic situation is going from bad to worse, and millions of Lebanese around the world feel there is no longer anything to return to. Mounting crises continue to push more people to leave, while others remain firmly attached to staying, saying, “This is our land, our roots are here, and we helped found this country.”

Despair and witnesses of hope

In the face of the psychological harm and discouragement caused by repeated crises, especially among young people, some have turned to alcohol or drugs as a way to escape. But many more remain attached to hope.

The documentary offers life stories that embody this perseverance. Singer Rima Turk sees her talent as a blessing from God and has dedicated it to praising and glorifying him. Through her service with the Nasroto association, she works to help people struggling with addiction recover through psychological and spiritual support, which she describes as the most effective path.

William Noun lost his brother, firefighter Joseph, in the Beirut port explosion while he and his colleagues were trying to extinguish a fire that preceded the blast. But he did not lose hope. In the documentary, he recounts his pain and the “breath of peace” he felt when the pope met them at the port and prayed in silence. William continues to raise his voice in pursuit of justice for the victims of the explosion.

The experience of Dr. Amal Chaaya is also featured in the documentary. She speaks of how her faith helped her transform the suffering of losing her sight into insight, work, and creativity, thanking the Lord who gave her strength to carry that cross.

The documentary also presents the experience of Charbel and Giovanni Latif and their efforts through the Christians of the East platform to shed light on their history, current reality, and steadfastness, especially for members of the diaspora, so that they remain connected to their homelands.

Pope Leo’s visit

Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Lebanon receives in-depth attention in the documentary. It captures the atmosphere of joy and popular enthusiasm that accompanied it, especially among young people, both Christian and Muslim, and how prominently it featured across media and social platforms. It also presents differing views regarding the visit.

Lebanon’s Christians do not deny the pain. Yet despite successive crises, wars, and their heavy consequences, their faith remains firm, their endurance steadfast, and their hope for a better tomorrow unbroken. In all of this, they offer the clearest answer to the pressing question about the future.

This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

With this affirmation, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, proclaimed in the the Church of the Holy Sepulchre that Easter does not confirm human certainties but rather unsettles them to open the believer to a living faith.

From the very place where Jesus conquered death, the cardinal said: “Here, inside this sepulcher, we are not facing a symbol: We are facing a real emptiness. An emptiness that is not an absence but a proclamation.”

He explained that the Gospel account depicts Mary Magdalene confronting uncertainty, uttering the first expression of authentic faith: “We do not know where they have laid him.”

“God does not allow himself to be possessed. The Risen One is not where we expected him to be. He is not confined by the boundaries of our certainties,” he emphasized, pointing out that “it is not we who protect God; it is God who sets us free.”

In his reflection, the patriarch warned against a comfortable or routine religiosity. “We, on the other hand, would like a kind of faith that does not turn our world upside down,” he said, noting that in the Resurrection, “God does something we did not ask for: He withdraws. Not to flee, but to save us from a misunderstanding — that faith is something to be possessed.”

Reflecting on the empty tomb, the cardinal said that signs such as the folded burial cloths indicate that the Resurrection is not a magical act but a manifestation of freedom: “Death is no longer a garment that conceals but a garment that has been carefully set aside, no longer needed.”

The cardinal also linked the Easter message to the current political reality in the Holy Land, which is marked by conflict. “We know all too well that many stones remain sealed around us,” he lamented, referring to “hatred, violence, and retaliation.”

In that context, he issued a warning: “It seems that we place the Lord back in a tomb every time we believe that death has the final word over history.”

In light of this, he affirmed that Easter “is not a distant dogma but a defiance of resignation. It is the only hope that can still open, here and now, the gates of peace.”

The patriarch further emphasized the universal character of Christianity, reminding people that “God shows no partiality” and that “no life is ‘too lost’ to be sought.”

He maintained that Christianity is not reduced to contemplation but rather consists of actually following Christ: “The Risen One is not an object of worship; he is a person who calls. He is not merely to be contemplated; he is to be followed.”

Likewise, he warned of the risk of stripping Christian life of its meaning: “Even holy places can become museums if they do not become an exodus [a going forth] ... the liturgy can become routine if it does not lead to conversion.”

Finally, Pizzaballa called for living out Easter concretely in daily life, saying that “stepping out [of the empty tomb] means choosing forgiveness when it would be easier to harden our hearts; choosing truth when it would be more comfortable to conform; choosing hope when everything suggests the opposite.”

“Easter is not a phrase to be repeated; it is a door to be walked through. The stone has been rolled away. The passage is open. But we must decide whether to stay inside or go out,” he affirmed.

The patriarch concluded with the central proclamation of the Christian faith: “The Lord is risen! And precisely because he has risen, we will never find him where we left him. We will find him standing before us, calling us out.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Footage documenting the destruction — filmed by the attackers themselves or secretly recorded by residents — showed acts of vandalism and theft targeting cars, shops, cafes, and other property, accompanied by threatening chants and insults.

The assault was not an isolated incident. Local sources reported that another attempted attack was thwarted the next day by general security personnel, deepening residents’ fears that such assaults could happen again.

In immediate response, the town’s residents staged a protest sit-in, raising clear demands, most notably rejecting a “single-color army” (a force dominated by one religious or ethnic group), insisting on compensation for the damage, and calling for those responsible to be held accountable, including members of General Security, whom protesters accused of taking part in the attack.

The demonstrators also stressed their rejection of uncontrolled weapons and sectarianism, affirming that public and private freedoms are a “red line.” They voiced frustration with some media coverage that described the incident as merely an individual dispute, holding signs denouncing “false media” and refusing to give interviews to state-run outlets.

On the ecclesial level, reactions were swift and firm. The Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East, together with most Churches in Syria, announced that Easter celebrations would be reduced to prayers inside churches only, citing “the current discouraging circumstances.”

At the same time, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East strongly condemned what happened, saying that incidents targeting the Christian community cannot be dismissed as “individual incidents” and warning against the dangers of fueling sectarian tendencies.

The patriarchate also called for an official investigation, accountability for those responsible, and compensation for those affected. It stressed that responsibility for maintaining security rests solely with the state and its institutions, along with the need to control the spread of weapons outside state authority. It further emphasized the importance of upholding citizenship and integration among all components of Syrian society, far from the logic of majority and minority.

For its part, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Hama described what happened as an attack carried out by “outlaw groups,” calling for strict legal measures, including the formation of a judicial investigative committee, accountability for those involved and those who failed in their duties, enforcement of laws restricting weapons to the hands of the state, and guarantees of equality among citizens.

At the same time as the Al-Suqaylabiyah incident, a U.N. report said more than 1,700 people were killed and around 200,000 displaced during a single week of violence in the south of the country in July 2025, most of them Druze civilians. The report warned that the humanitarian situation remains fragile and documented violations that may amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity.

This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

However, beyond the economic and geopolitical impact, the war is “breaking down the mental health of these workers,” said Bishop Emeritus Luis Quinteiro Fiuza of Tui-Vigo in Spain, the head of the Apostleship of the Sea, in a statement to ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News.

“Those stranded on those ships, unable to cross through the strait for weeks, live in constant anguish,” he said, indicating that these sailors are living “with the very real fear that everything could end at any moment by being bombed.”

In the week following the Paschal Triduum, Quinteiro is scheduled to travel to London to hold high-level meetings at the IMO — the United Nations agency responsible for the safety and security of maritime trade — which has proposed the creation of a “safe maritime corridor” to allow vessels to leave the Persian Gulf region and pass through the Strait of Hormuz without risk.

“We are facing a truly dramatic situation for everyone, but especially for seafarers and their families,” Quinteiro emphasized. Despite the logistical constraints in the region where there is virtually no Christian presence, the Apostleship of the Sea maintains contact with some of the families of those currently stranded aboard the ships.

“Families are experiencing this with immense anguish. They are horrified, monitoring events minute by minute, and many tell us they are completely overwhelmed,” he shared.

Moreover, in many cases, the isolation of the vessels that have been unable to go through the Strait of Hormuz since the war began is almost total: “Right now, there are ships with their internet down. It is a situation of utter abandonment.”

“Imagine being on a ship, watching missiles or instruments of destruction fly past. How must a person feel in the midst of that?” Quinteiro said, explaining that the Church’s mission in this context is to offer emotional and spiritual support to both the sailors and their families.

This constant pressure, coupled with the inability to leave the area, further aggravates the situation: “They can’t get back to their home country. They’re stranded. That is the word: completely stranded.”

“Ninety percent of global trade is conducted by sea, yet, unfortunately, we forget about the seafarers. Moreover, it is an increasingly unattractive occupation, staffed largely by people from poorer countries, which exacerbates the injustices,” the prelate noted.

Pope Leo XIV made reference — albeit indirectly — to those stranded in the Strait of Hormuz during the Angelus on Palm Sunday by asking for prayers for sailors suffering the consequences of conflicts.

Last November, Pope Leo recognized the legal standing of the Apostleship of the Sea, a decision that reinforced the organization’s role as an instrument of spiritual and human accompaniment for a group that is frequently overlooked, despite being essential to the functioning of global trade.

In 1977, the then-Pontifical Commission for Migrants published the decree Apostolatus Maris, updating the regulations following the Second Vatican Council. Two decades later, St. John Paul II renewed this commitment with the motu proprio Stella Maris, consolidating the Church’s mission in the maritime sphere. More recently, Pope Francis entrusted the direction of this work to the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, underscoring the importance of comprehensive care for people of the sea.

“In the maritime world, there is a great need for justice. To evangelize today means being alongside these people, accompanying them, and making them feel that they are not alone: ​​it means not only defending justice and workers’ rights but also offering closeness, comfort, and hope amid extreme situations,” Quinteiro explained.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article misidentified Bishop Luis Quinteiro Fiuza in a photo caption.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

The measure has stirred not only legal and political debate but also deep ethical and moral questions for believers about the meaning of justice and mercy in times of conflict.

In an exclusive interview with ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, Father Bernard Poggi, rector of the Latin Patriarchal Seminary in Beit Jala, near Bethlehem, reflected on the Church’s opposition to the death penalty and on how Christian faith can guide society toward alternatives that foster peace and reconciliation rather than deepen cycles of violence.

Poggi said human life is a divine gift that must never be violated and that any effort to impose the death penalty stands in contradiction to the core values of the Gospel and Christian ethics.

He explained that the Church’s teaching is rooted in the Book of Genesis, which affirms that the human person is created in the image of God and therefore possesses a dignity and rights that belong to God alone.

“The divine image in each person grants that person sacredness and intrinsic worth,” Poggi said. “This is why the commandment ‘You shall not kill’ remains one of the foundational principles of the Ten Commandments.”

He added that the sanctity of life extends to all humanity, pointing to the story of Cain and Abel, in which God punishes Cain for killing his brother, underscoring that human life is not for one person to take from another.

“The Church upholds the sanctity of life as a fundamental value that must be protected, and no authority has the right to impose death as punishment,” he said.

Poggi also cited paragraph 2267 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which rejects the death penalty as an attack on human dignity and expresses the Church’s commitment to working for its abolition worldwide.

“The Catholic Church, in its official teaching, calls for the rejection of the death penalty as a violation of human dignity,” he said. “The Church is committed to working for the abolition of this punishment everywhere and to raising awareness of the sanctity of life.”

He also referred to the witness of the American religious sister Helen Prejean, whom he met and who became known for accompanying death row inmates in the United States. Prejean is the author of “Dead Man Walking,” published in 1993 and later adapted into a major film in 1995.

“Through her work, we see how the death penalty affects inmates and their families and how it raises profound moral questions about justice and mercy,” Poggi said. “Even in the harshest conditions, prisoners retain their human dignity, and that dignity belongs to God alone.”

Reflecting on the political and ethical consequences of capital punishment, Poggi warned that using the death penalty as a deterrent or political instrument distorts the very meaning of justice.“

Today, ideas of justice are often twisted in many countries and shaped by political interests rather than by human and ethical values,” he said. “Revenge becomes dominant, and innocent people are often punished as scapegoats.”

“Revenge does not achieve justice,” he continued, echoing a phrase often attributed to Mother Teresa: “An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.”

He stressed that capital punishment robs a person of the possibility of repentance and reform and closes the door to hope.

“Every person makes mistakes,” he said. “Punishment should seek correction, not revenge. An ultimate penalty such as execution blocks the path of change and repentance.”

Poggi also warned of the political dangers of applying the death penalty in conflict zones.

“In the Middle East, anyone who politically or ideologically opposes the system can become a target simply because of their beliefs,” he said. “This threatens freedom of expression and weakens society’s ability to build justice and reconciliation.”

Speaking specifically about Palestinians, he said many detainees in Israeli prisons have had only limited opportunities to defend themselves or to receive proper legal representation.

“New laws imposing the death penalty increase the risk of killing innocent people and widen the gap between communities instead of encouraging reconciliation and mercy,” he said.

He also reflected on the spiritual meaning of the issue during Holy Week.

“We are living through Holy Week, when we remember the trial and crucifixion of Jesus, who himself was a victim of laws applied unjustly,” Poggi said. “Jesus did not defend himself through threats or force but offered an example of forgiveness and life.”

He added that the Church’s call to defend human life is the foundation for building true peace and a just society.

“Real justice is fulfilled in life, not in death,” he said. “Every person must have the door of hope left open to return from his mistakes.”

Poggi emphasized that this message is not meant only for Christians but also for the whole world. “The Holy Land needs light, not darkness; life, not blood,” he said. “The message is clear: Human life is sacred, and forgiveness is needed at every moment.”

The priest concluded with a theological reflection: “The human person is created in the image of God, and Christ offered redemption for all humanity,” he said. “Every person is called to a better life. Jesus died for the forgiveness of sins and remains the supreme example of mercy and the possibility of change.”

The March 30 announcement came after hours of tension and controversy over restrictions on access to the holy sites, which affected Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, and Father Francesco Ielpo, custos of the Holy Land.

Israeli police prevented Pizzaballa and lelpo from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre as they made their way to celebrate Palm Sunday Mass.

A temporary settlement under the weight of war

The statement said that, in coordination with the Israeli police, access had been guaranteed for Church representatives to celebrate Masses and religious rites in a way that preserves the Church of the Holy Sepulchre’s long-standing Easter traditions, while restrictions on public gatherings remain in force for the time being. It also stated that the churches will livestream prayers and celebrations to the faithful.

The statement thanked Israeli President Isaac Herzog for his “swift and valuable” intervention and also praised supportive international positions and outreach to the Church. It stressed that faith is a fundamental human value shared by all religions and that safeguarding freedom of worship is a basic shared duty.

The Church also affirmed that it would continue its dialogue with the authorities, expressing hope that the restrictions will be lifted and that the church will once again be fully reopened to all worshippers.

Netanyahu justifies the measures, then reverses course

At the same time, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought to contain the crisis through a post on X, saying he had instructed officials to allow Pizzaballa immediate entry into the Church of the Holy Sepulchre so that he could celebrate the prayers.

Netanyahu justified the earlier measures by citing security threats, accusing Iran of targeting religious sites in Jerusalem with ballistic missiles in recent days and saying the temporary restrictions had been imposed “to protect worshippers of all faiths.”

At the same time, however, he acknowledged that preventing the patriarch from celebrating Mass had created a problem that required his direct intervention to correct.

Sharp European criticism

Despite the announcement of the settlement, international reactions did not subside, with Europe voicing clear criticism of the Israeli measures. European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said that preventing the patriarch from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Palm Sunday was “a violation of freedom of worship” and of the historic arrangements governing the holy sites. She stressed that this freedom must be fully guaranteed, without exception, for all religions.

In Rome, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the step as “an offense to the faithful,” while Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced that the Israeli ambassador had been summoned over the incident.

In Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his condemnation of the decision, saying it comes amid “a troubling increase in violations” affecting the status quo at Jerusalem’s holy sites and affirming his full support for Pizzaballa and for Christians in the Holy Land.

The Holy See Press office on Monday evening released a statement saying Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin as well as Archbishop Paul Gallagher, secretary for relations with states, met with Israeli Ambassador to the Holy See Yaron Sideman.

“During the conversation, regret was expressed over what had happened; clarifications were provided regarding the matter, and note was taken of the agreement reached between the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the local authorities concerning participation in the liturgies of the Holy Triduum at the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem,” the Holy See statement said.

This story was updated at 4:11 p.m. ET on March 30, 2026, with the statement from the Holy See Press Office.

According to a joint statement issued March 29 by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Custody of the Holy Land, police stopped the two Church leaders on their way as they were proceeding privately “without any ceremonial or liturgical manifestations” and forced them to turn back.

The statement noted that, for the first time in centuries, this action prevented Church leaders from celebrating Palm Sunday Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It described the incident as a “serious and dangerous precedent,” adding that it “disregards the sentiments of millions of believers around the world whose eyes turn to Jerusalem during this week.”

Isaac Herzog, president of Israel, said in a statement on social media that he called Pizzaballa and lelpo to express sorrow over the incident.

“I clarified that the incident stemmed from security concerns due to the continuous threat of missile attacks from the Iranian terror regime against the civilian population in Israel, following previous incidents in which Iranian missiles fell in the area of the Old City of Jerusalem in recent days,” Herzog wrote. “I reaffirmed the State of Israel’s unwavering commitment to freedom of religion for all faiths and to upholding the status quo at the holy sites of Jerusalem.”

Mike Huckabee, U.S. ambassador to Israel, expressed gratitude for Herzog’s “conciliatory” and “gracious” statement in a post on social media.

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The March 29 statement by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Custody of the Holy Land emphasized that Church leaders had acted with full responsibility, noting that since the beginning of the war they had complied with all imposed restrictions, including canceling public gatherings and limiting attendance, while relying instead on broadcast celebrations reaching hundreds of millions of faithful worldwide during the Easter season. It further stressed that preventing the patriarch and the custos of the Holy Land — who represent the highest ecclesiastical authorities responsible for the Catholic Church and the holy sites — from entering the church constitutes a measure that is “clearly unreasonable and disproportionate.”

The decision, the statement added, was “hasty and based on flawed grounds,” “tainted by inappropriate considerations,” and represents “a serious departure from the fundamental principles of reasonableness, freedom of worship, and respect for the status quo.” In conclusion, the two Church leaders expressed their “deep regret” to Christians in the Holy Land and around the world after “prayer on one of the holiest days of the Christian calendar was prevented in this manner.”

Celebrations under restrictions

On the security front, Jerusalem and the wider Holy Land continue to experience heightened tensions amid the ongoing regional conflict, which has directly affected daily life and the practice of religious rites. According to media reports, preparations for religious celebrations such as Easter and Holy Saturday have been accompanied by strict security measures, with some traditional events canceled due to security threats and reports of rockets landing near religious sites in the Holy City. Authorities have imposed limits on gatherings and restricted access to certain holy places.

On Palm Sunday, Pizzaballa said Mass at the Basilica of All Nations in Gethsemane. He recalled Jesus weeping as mentioned in Luke 19:41: “As he drew near, he saw the city and wept over it.”

Pizzaballa has repeatedly highlighted the deep suffering of Christians in the region amid the ongoing conflict, calling for prayer and support for Christian communities facing increasing challenges due to war and insecurity. In previous statements, he emphasized the importance of providing spiritual and moral support to Christians in the Holy Land, underscoring the need for them to remain in their homeland and affirming that the Church continues its mission and services despite ongoing risks.

Reports from religious and community sources have also pointed to a rise in attacks against Christians and Christian properties in the West Bank and Jerusalem, including acts of violence by settlers. These developments, according to various reports, reflect the deteriorating security conditions for Palestinian Christian communities amid ongoing settlement expansion, increasing the risk of displacement and further diminishing their historic presence in the Holy Land.

This story was updated at 1 p.m. ET on March 29, 2026, to include comments from Isaac Herzog, president of Israel, and Mike Huckabee, U.S. ambassador to Israel. It was further updated at 1:50 p.m. ET on March 29, 2026, to include information about Pizzaballa’s celebration of Palm Sunday Mass.

Lebanon was pulled into the regional conflict when Iranian-backed Hezbollah fighters launched missiles into northern Israel and Israel Defense Forces (IDF) returned fire in their strongholds, primarily southern Lebanon.

Monalisa Freiha, associate editor and deputy editor-in-chief at An-Nahar Al Arabi, spoke to “EWTN News Nightly” on March 26 with concerns for Lebanese people, saying they “did not choose this war” and “are not part of the decisions that led to this war.”

“[We] are paying the price every single day, living under bombardment, fear, and uncertainty,” she said.

Israeli forces launched incursions into southern Lebanon to establish a security zone near the border, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on March 25 it will move deeper into Lebanon to expand this zone. Hezbollah fighters are scattered throughout the region, but most of their attacks still come from rockets and drones, while ground clashes are limited.

Israeli officials ordered evacuations for areas south of the Litani River, which is primarily Shia Muslim but also home to Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Sunni Muslim minorities. Hezbollah and Iranian leadership are Shia.

More than 1,000 people in Lebanon have been killed. More than 1 million people have been displaced, and tens of thousands of civilians have remained in conflict zones despite evacuation orders.

Situation on the ground

Cedric Choukeir, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) country representative for Lebanon, told EWTN News the evacuations were “very challenging” for people and said the process was “very chaotic” because people did not have “a lot of choice or clarity around when they needed to evacuate, what timeline they were allowed to leave, [or] which routes they should be taking.”

During the initial attacks, he said people “found themselves stuck in traffic with airstrikes around them.” He said people were ordered to leave villages, but then “you’ll find yourself in the next village which was also ordered to evacuate,” and said travel to Beirut was taking anywhere between 14 to 24 hours.

The Lebanese government and humanitarian organizations are providing shelter, food, medical services, and other forms of aid to those affected. Some organizations involved include CRS, Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), and Caritas Lebanon.

Choukeir, working out of Lebanon’s capital Beirut, told EWTN News that CRS and Caritas have assisted 145,000 people who have been affected by the conflict so far.

He said CRS is working closely with Caritas and other faith-based partners to provide food kits, medicine, mattresses, blankets, pillows, and other forms of medical assistance to those housed in shelters. As the conflict continues, CRS is also working to make shelters “more dignified” by improving sanitation, access to hot water, and providing supplies “so people can prepare their own meals,” he said.

With many children displaced during the school year, Choukeir said CRS is helping children deal with the trauma of the conflict.

In conjunction with Caritas, he said CRS is also working to provide assistance to the war zones: “We have a stock available of lifesaving assistance and commodities that we are sending to these areas.”

Choukeir noted that some people who evacuated their villages remain stuck in southern cities, such as Tyre. Others chose not to evacuate, he said, because “they don’t have anywhere to go, they don’t have money to go, and they’d rather stay even if it means they’re risking their lives.”

Although 130,000 people are housed in shelters, Choukeir said most people must find “other solutions,” such as staying with relatives, which can mean cramming dozens of people into homes. Many others are “staying in their cars [and] laying out tents in the streets,” he said.

“There aren’t enough collective shelters to host everyone who is displaced,” Choukeir explained.

He said the displacement of people “is very visible around central Beirut,” on the sea front, and in any neighborhood with a large Shia population.

Jesuit Father Daniel Corrou, the Middle East and North Africa regional director for JRS, is also based in Beirut, near Choukeir. He told EWTN News that he opened up his parish, St. Joseph, for migrant workers and ethnic minorities who need shelter during the attacks. The building holds about 200 people.

As he spoke about a recent Israeli attack that destroyed a building just 300 meters from the parish, he said: ”I can hear Israeli drones flying overhead” during the phone interview, which he described as an everyday occurrence for people living in the city.

In addition to housing primarily migrant workers as a shelter, he said that population makes up most of the congregation and most of the volunteers helping refugees.

Corrou said many of the workers “make very little money,” much of which they send back to their families. When speaking about the generosity of the volunteers, he said: “That’s where I just stand back in awe.”

Concerns about escalation

Choukeir expressed concern about a potential large-scale ground offensive from Israel in southern Lebanon, noting “there’s still a significant amount of people there.”

He said he is also concerned about Israel’s destruction of bridges out of the region, stating that “if they want to evacuate,” there needs to be “a way for them to be able to do so.” He is worried about “further waves of people being displaced — not for the first time, but for the second time.”

Corrou also expressed concerns and some pessimism, saying there’s a “general fear” that even if the United States and Iran reach a peace agreement, it “would not end the conflict that’s going on here [because] … Israel has different desires in Lebanon.”

He said he has concerns for Shia Muslims because some shelters won’t house them out of a fear they could “become targets.” He also expressed concern for Catholics in the south, some of whom remain in the war zone out of fear “they wouldn’t be able to get their land back” if they leave and Israel begins a lengthy occupation.

Corrou attended a security briefing for nongovernmental organizations and said it appears that Israel is not “targeting Christian areas” but that “Christian areas have been hit.” He warned: “It’s hard to say that they’re safe, even if they remained in their Christian village.”

He echoed the calls for peace that came from Pope Leo XIV and said “war is not going to solve this.”

“This has to be about coming to some sort of conversation — a compromise,” Corrou said. “This has to [have] a diplomatic solution.”

Choukeir similarly invoked the Holy Father’s call for peace and said “we would like to see the violence end and things to be resolved through diplomatic channels.”

“We want to make sure that civilians are protected, we want to make sure that humanitarian workers are protected in this conflict, including health care workers and paramedics and unfortunately, I think more can be done on this front,” he said.

“At that moment, Father Pierre visited me, and he put his hands on my shoulders and he told me, ‘Don’t leave. You are safe, and you will stay safe because you have God,’” Hasbani told EWTN News by phone as shelling could be heard in the background. “I [can’t] believe that he died.”

As the conflict escalated, however, Hasbani fled with her two teenage children to her parents’ home in a village farther away from the border on March 7.

Two days later, on March 9, al-Rahi was killed while rushing to the aid of a parishioner wounded in an earlier attack, according to Father Toufic Bou Merhi, a Franciscan of the Custody of the Holy Land, who spoke with Vatican media.

Hasbani serves as a coordinator for the Italian civil service organization AVSI’s southern office in Lebanon. Founded in 1972, AVSI facilitates humanitarian aid projects in 41 countries, including Lebanon, where Hasbani is one of 60 staff members.

According to Hasbani, al-Rahi was “a partner with AVSI” who frequently collaborated with the organization to carry out its projects. “We were doing activities together,” she said. “Every time you want to implement any activity we were asking him, he was providing sometimes a location to do our activity.”

Hasbani said al-Rahi was always “doing his best to help the people,” especially the elderly.

“He was buying their basic needs and bringing them to their houses,” she said. “He would actually contact the pharmacies, telling them, ‘Give the people all the medicines they want; don’t hide any medicines. I will be the person to make sure everything will come to the village.’”

She said he would often go “house by house” to see how people were doing and gather young people together. She said he would encourage them “to always pray and keep on going” and would tell them: “Don’t leave your village where you were born.”

She recalled that following the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks in Israel, which forced their community center called Fadaii to close, the Maronite parish priest of Qlayaa encouraged them not to worry. “Fadaii is a safe place,” he said.

The Fadaii center is a community hub built by AVSI that hosts offices as well as psycho-pedagogical services for children and families, literacy courses for women, and vocational training for farmers, according to AVSI’s website.

AVSI released a statement following al-Rahi’s death, describing his faith and courage as “contagious.”

“Every time an AVSI aid truck reached his village, his message of thanks would arrive promptly. And when, on March 1, the war once again struck southern Lebanon with violence, he was still there, beside his people,” the statement said. “We will miss his friendship, his simple and strong faith, and his embraces.”

Describing the current situation faced by Christians in southern Lebanon, Hasbani said many families fled their homes during the first days of the war while others south of the Litani River have remained “but feel increasingly unsafe especially as areas facing the border have been targeted.”

Although shops and fuel stations have remained open, Hasbani said movement in southern Lebanon now is very limited, with residents only venturing out to purchase essential goods as several Christian homes and main roads connecting villages to major cities have been targeted in recent days.

“However,” she said, “it is uncertain how long these supplies will last if the situation continues.”

For its part, AVSI has been working to provide humanitarian aid such as hygiene kits, food, and water bottles.

Following the first days of the war, Hasbani said schools ceased operations and were opened up as shelters for displaced families who were previously sleeping in their cars. “The world has to feel guilty towards those children because we stopped their future,” she said. “I hope that everyone know about how much we are suffering.”

“It’s enough for me in this moment” to trust God, Hasbani said.

“I trust, and I have hope that as we sleep and wake up to a war, [someday] I will sleep and wake up and the war will end,” she said. “I believe that.”

The Syriac Catholic Archdiocese of Mosul and its dependencies called on the faithful to reflect deeply on the true meaning of the feast and on the One it commemorates, and to live it in a spirit of faith, prayer, and fraternal solidarity by avoiding large gatherings and refraining from outward displays of festivity, “as an expression of solidarity with those suffering and those affected by the horrors of war, and in order to preserve everyone’s safety.”

The archdiocese also announced that holiday celebrations would be limited to church interiors, especially for Palm Sunday, meaning that the large annual procession through the city’s streets will not be held this year. It also canceled the customary exchange of holiday greetings throughout the archdiocese.

No procession in Ankawa

For its part, the Chaldean Archdiocese of Erbil announced the cancellation of its annual Palm Sunday procession, which it had traditionally organized in cooperation with the apostolic churches in Ankawa.

Speaking to ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, Archbishop Bashar Matti Warda said security necessities required the cancellation of the Palm Sunday procession, which the faithful await each year with joy and eagerness, in order to guard everyone’s safety.

He explained that the archdiocese has limited its activities to the usual Masses, evening prayer, and the Way of the Cross while canceling catechism classes for all age groups and youth meetings since the beginning of the war and the targeting of Erbil by missiles and drones.

Other churches in Iraq have not officially announced specific measures or changes to the schedules of liturgical celebrations, Masses, and rites. However, it appears that dioceses and parishes across Christian towns and villages are moving toward canceling the customary processions and confining celebrations to church buildings.

Youth gathering postponed

The Chaldean Archdiocese of Erbil also announced through ACI MENA the postponement of the 2026 Ankawa Youth Gathering, which was scheduled for March 18–21, for the same reasons.

Qaraqosh, Ankawa, Alqosh, and other Christian towns and villages in Iraq have long organized large Palm Sunday processions. This tradition has only been interrupted under exceptional circumstances, including the years of forced displacement during the ISIS occupation (2014–2017) and the coronavirus pandemic.

This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Father Bashar Fawadleh issued an appeal on Saturday, March 21, telling ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, that the lands seized this week by Israeli settlers “belonged to the people of Taybeh and were, moreover, our private property.”

These incursions, he continued, in addition to constituting “a violation of international law and of the rights of the local community,” represent an affront that, for the village’s inhabitants, goes far beyond a mere legal or political matter.

“This story is about the life of a Christian community that has been present in this land for more than 2,000 years,” Fawadleh said.

Taybeh is the modern name of the biblical village of Ephraim, where Jesus went to rest shortly before his passion (cf. John 11:54). In addition to being the only entirely Christian village in the West Bank, Jerusalem, and Gaza, it is also renowned for its beer.

In recent days, Israeli settlers have seized areas near the village’s quarry and cement factory. These encroachments have been ongoing for some time. In July 2025, settlers set fire in the area near the ruins of St. George Church, built in the historic Byzantine style and dating back to the fifth century, where the local community typically holds religious celebrations.

Several vehicles were also set ablaze, and the attackers “painted hateful graffiti,” according to sources in Taybeh. Christian leaders have demanded immediate action from Israeli authorities and called upon the international community to halt the escalating violence.

When asked what message he would like to send to Pope Leo XIV and to all Christians around the world, he said: “We ask not only for compassion, but for solidarity.”

Fawadleh, whose mother was born in Venezuela but returned to the West Bank at the age of 16, told ACI Prensa: “As a church, our mission is to help people remain in their land, to live with dignity, and to keep the Christian presence alive in the Holy Land. Our presence here is a living testament to the roots of Christianity — where it all began.”

According to the parish priest, “when the land is threatened, people become fearful.” The local community simply wants “to live in peace, with dignity, and on our own land,” he said, noting that the farmers of Taybeh are even afraid to go out to their fields.

“This is a matter that concerns the entire Church. We ask for your prayers, and for your visits to the Holy Land and to the ‘living stones’ in Taybeh and throughout the Holy Land,” he said.

“And your support, so that Christians may remain here through education, housing, and employment opportunities. For the Christian presence in the Holy Land is not merely a local matter,” he pointed out.

“For the truth is one; it is not a matter of distorting it. Thank you; we will remain in contact and united in prayer,” the priest said.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

The Palm Sunday procession will instead be replaced by a time of prayer for the city in a location yet to be announced.

The patriarchate also announced the postponement of the chrism Mass until circumstances allow — most likely during the Easter season after necessary ecclesiastical approvals are obtained.

At the same time, it affirmed that the churches of the diocese will remain open and that priests and pastors will work, within the limits of what is possible, to ensure the participation of the faithful in prayers and liturgical celebrations.

The patriarchate explained that this year it has not been possible to hold the traditional Lenten pilgrimage in Jerusalem, with its celebrations at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the sites associated with Christ’s passion. It noted that, although the faithful have been able to prepare individually, they have felt the absence of the communal journey toward Easter, which is an essential element of the Church’s spiritual life.

Continuing restrictions

The patriarchate said the security conditions linked to the conflict do not suggest any improvement in the near future. It stressed that, in coordination with the other Churches and the relevant authorities, it is continuing to assess possible ways to hold the celebrations within the available framework.

Decisions, it said, will be made on a day-by-day basis according to developments on the ground. According to the statement, it has become clear that it will not be possible to organize normal celebrations open to all the faithful, prompting the patriarchate to adopt a set of organizational measures.

The patriarchate said this reality constitutes “another wound added to the many wounds caused by the conflict.” The pain, it said, is not limited to the consequences of war but also includes the inability to celebrate Easter together “in a fitting way.” Yet it stressed the need not to surrender to despair and called for perseverance in prayer.

In this context, the patriarchate called on the faithful to unite in prayer on Saturday, March 28, by reciting the rosary for peace and reassurance, especially for those suffering because of the conflict. It concluded by affirming that Easter remains, despite every circumstance, a sign of hope, recalling that “no darkness, not even the darkness of war, can have the last word” and that the empty tomb remains a witness to the victory of life over hatred and mercy over sin.

This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

“The aggressions against Christians in the West Bank are multiplying,” Shomali said in a March 20 interview with “EWTN News Nightly.”

The situation for Palestinian Christians had been “calm” in the Bethlehem area, he said. “But now, there is more expansion of the settlements and more aggressions from the side of the settlers.”

Shomali said settlers have prevented Palestinian Christians from accessing their land through various threats, physical aggression, and property damage, including burning their cars.

“This happened mainly in the Christian village of Taybeh, and we communicated this news to all the world, even to the American ambassador in Tel Aviv, who came to visit the place, and he promised to do something, but not many things were done,” Shomali said.

In Birzeit, a Palestinian Christian town about six miles north of Ramallah in the West Bank, Shomali said settlers have been coming “almost every day to threaten people in their own homes or in their work.”

“This has become a real threat to Christian families,” he said, “because they lost their livelihood and their source of income.” The Church must intervene and provide aid for them to survive, the bishop said.

Shomali said Israeli settlers have also recently occupied land belonging to a convent of sisters in a village near Bethlehem called Urtas. The sisters “have a hill where they plant and grow olives and other things,” he said. “Settlers came to occupy this hill and to make it theirs, where they think of building a new settlement.”

He also noted a settlement to be built on the Shepherds’ Field of his own village, Beit Sahour, which he said is a piece of land that belongs to Christian families there.

“I heard just today, that a piece of land, one acre, was also entered by settlers who put an Israeli flag to mean that this land now is Israeli, while there is a deed of ownership to a Christian family that I know from Beit Sahour,” he said. “So slowly, slowly, the land of Palestine that Israels call now Judea and Samaria, the biblical name, is becoming less and less Palestinian and more and more settlers’ land.”

Amid the regional conflict spreading across the Middle East, Israeli authorities have ceased emergency aid shipments from entering the Gaza Strip, according to Aid to the Church in Need.

Citing George Akroush, director of the Development Office of the Latin Patriarchate, the organization reported Monday that “the dire situation of communities in Gaza and the West Bank is being compounded by the state’s decision to block aid.”

Since March 7, Akroush said all humanitarian shipments have been blocked, including crucial medical supplies. “We are trying our best to help the only Christian hospital there, which is very close to the Catholic compound, but all the channels that the Latin Patriarchate used to communicate with the authorities were closed,” Akroush said.

England bishop appointed to lead 3 dioceses

Bishop Marcus Stock of Leeds, England, will oversee three dioceses after Pope Leo XIV appointed him as the apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Middlesbrough and Hallam.

Stock, who is now responsible for the dioceses of Leeds, Hallam, and Middlesbrough, said he was “very humbled” by the new appointment. He gave thanks to God for “the ministry that Bishop Ralph Heskett has given so devotedly” for 12 years.

Syria granted new apostolic nuncio

The Vatican’s appointment of Archbishop Luigi Roberto Cona as apostolic nuncio to Syria comes at a delicate moment as the country navigates a new and uncertain phase, ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, reported Friday.

Cona is expected to remain in El Salvador for several more weeks or months before taking up his post in Damascus, with a farewell Mass scheduled for May 10 marking the close of his service there.

Born in Sicily in 1965, Cona brings more than two decades of diplomatic experience, having served in postings across Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East before his recent role in El Salvador. There, he became known for initiatives that combined humanitarian outreach with long-term development, including programs supporting marginalized youth, improving access to clean water, and promoting prisoner rehabilitation through the arts.

Restored crosses returned to rightful place atop Vietnam cathedral

Two crosses removed from the twin towers of Notre Dame Cathedral in Saigon, Vietnam, were reinstalled Thursday after being freshly gilded.

The long-anticipated installation occurred on the solemnity of St. Joseph on Thursday, according to a LiCAS News report. Archbishop Marek Zalewski, the resident papal representative in Vietnam, said the return of the crosses represented “a sign of faith placed in the heart of the city, directing people toward the mystery of the cross of Christ.”

According to the report, the crosses are about 12 feet high and weigh about 880 pounds.

Amazonian Church elects new president at synodality conference

The Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon chose a new leader, Cardinal Leonardo Steiner, OFM, of the Archdiocese of Manaus, Brazil, at its sixth General Assembly March 16–19, during which it also renewed its commitment to synodality.

Steiner told Vatican News on Friday that the election came in order “to give continuity to that dream of Pope Francis to go to the Churches of the Amazonia and to be an ecclesial Church.”

He said the conference reflected on its mission and the social, cultural, ecological, and ecclesial situation of the Amazon region.

Irish bishop says women diaconate issue ‘firmly closed’

Bishop Alan McGuckian of Down and Connor in Ireland has said he believes the door is “firmly closed” to a female diaconate in the Catholic Church but that his fellow Jesuit, Pope Francis, wanted to hear all voices on the subject.

The bishop told journalist Martin O’Brien in an interview at the St. Patrick Centre: “Francis had this vision, and it was a good one, and I admire him for it, that the followers of Christ have to be different. He called us into this process where everybody could speak and everybody would be listened to.”

When asked if women would see themselves as second-class citizens of the Catholic Church, McGuckian pointed to his memory of his own parents, saying: “My mother was not a second-class citizen in the Catholic Church. Never. And I never thought she was. And she never thought she was.”

Ethiopian bishops show solidarity after flooding in southern parts of country

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Ethiopia conveyed its “deep sadness” following deadly floods in the Gamo Zone of southern Ethiopia that has killed 125 people.

The bishops mourned those killed in the natural disaster as well as the suffering of families who were forced to evacuate their homes, according to Vatican News. The bishops also called for “immediate humanitarian assistance to those affected,” the report said, noting that the Catholic Church in Ethiopia “has mobilized rapid support through the Apostolic Vicariate of Soddo.”

Patrick J. Passmore and Andy Drozdziak contributed to this report.

Akroush’s comments come amid broader concerns recently voiced by Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, over the consequences of Israeli land-registration measures and the nonrecognition of Palestinian academic qualifications.

In an interview with ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, Akroush described a series of interconnected challenges facing Church institutions and the Christian community, especially in Jerusalem. These developments are unfolding within a complex legal and political environment in East Jerusalem, where residents and institutions face growing restrictions related to property, movement, and employment.

On the issue of land, Akroush expressed deep concern over the Israeli government’s February decision to resume settlement and registration procedures for lands that had not been formally recorded since before 1967. He said the mechanism, which is used to define and consolidate ownership, goes beyond a routine administrative step.

“This is not just an administrative procedure but a legal tool that could reclassify large areas as state lands,” he said, warning that it “opens the door to the seizure of private and Church properties, fundamentally altering the reality on the ground.”

His remarks echoed concerns raised by Pizzaballa in a recent address in which the patriarch noted that many Palestinian lands have remained unregistered since before 1967, making their legal status “complex” and heightening the risks for local communities if that status changes.

Akroush said the policy could reproduce conditions seen in Hebron, where the introduction of settler groups into Palestinian neighborhoods has led to persistent tension.

“When settlers are placed in the heart of neighborhoods, permanent points of friction emerge, affecting daily life, the local economy, and gradually fragmenting the social fabric,” he said.

Akroush added that such policies could further isolate Jerusalem from its natural ties to Bethlehem and Ramallah, with serious consequences for community cohesion and long-term continuity.

The Israeli authorities’ refusal to recognize Palestinian university degrees for teachers in Jerusalem is also “a serious challenge to the identity of educational institutions,” Akroush said, explaining that the decision leaves Christian schools facing painful choices.

“We face a reality in which schools may be compelled either to change their curricula or to lose qualified teaching staff,” he said, emphasizing that these institutions serve a mission that extends well beyond denominational boundaries.

Pizzaballa has likewise highlighted the schools crisis, noting that hundreds of Christian educators from Bethlehem are no longer able to reach their schools in Jerusalem.

“They will no longer be able to attend, and this will create not only financial hardships for their families but also challenges for the schools that cannot find Christian teachers,” the patriarch said. “These are just examples that illustrate how complicated the situation remains for all of us.”

Akroush said roughly 300 Christian institutions provide a wide range of services — including education, health care, and social support — to a significant portion of the Palestinian population.“

“These institutions are not solely for Christians; they serve everyone and are a vital part of the social fabric of the Holy Land,” he said.

Akroush noted that these developments are taking place while international attention is divided by multiple regional crises, reducing global focus on Jerusalem. Recalling the 2018 closure of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in protest against similar measures, he said the current challenges “take a different form, extending beyond property to include the human resources themselves.”

Regarding the education crisis, Akroush said barring 232 teachers from Bethlehem from reaching their schools in Jerusalem has directly affected 12 Christian schools.

“These teachers are the backbone of the educational process, and their sudden absence creates a gap that is difficult to fill,” he said.

He added that estimates from the patriarchate and educational institutions suggest that replacing this loss of specialized teaching experience could take at least 15 years because of the unique expertise those teachers possess.

Akroush said the fallout extends beyond education into the social and economic spheres, particularly at a time of limited job opportunities and rising unemployment.

“When a teacher loses their job without alternatives, families face difficult choices, including migration,” he said, noting that young families are especially vulnerable. He stressed that the Church in the Holy Land, as Pizzaballa has repeatedly said, “is not merely a guardian of sacred places but a living community serving people.”

“Targeting schools is targeting the future,” Akroush said, calling on the international community and Churches around the world to monitor developments closely, protect historic properties, and ensure teachers can reach their workplaces freely. He said the Church seeks only “to preserve its natural right to remain, serve, and educate in its sacred city.”

The cardinal was commenting in response to the words of U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who quoted Psalm 144 during a press briefing on March 10 to invoke a divine blessing on the ongoing U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran, according to Vatican News.

The prelate made his remarks during a March 15 webinar organized by the International Oasis Foundation and the Milan Cultural Center at a time when the Middle East is once again in turmoil due to the U.S.-Israel war against Iran.

In his remarks during the event, titled “War Devours the Middle East and Its Peoples,” the prelate emphasized that “there are no new crusades, and God has nothing to do with any of this.”

“If God is present in this war, he is among those who are dying, who are suffering,” he stated.

Pizzaballa addressed the situation in the Gaza Strip, where “medicines are scarce — even basic antibiotics. People are literally living in sewers and tents. Almost all the schools have been destroyed.”

“Fifty-three percent of the [Gaza] Strip where more than 2 million displaced persons live is under direct Israeli control; 47% — where the majority of Palestinians reside — is under Hamas control. Eighty percent of the Strip has been destroyed, and reconstruction has not even begun,” he stated.

He also noted that the border crossings are virtually closed. Regarding the Board of Peace initiative promoted by President Donald Trump, the cardinal said: “It’s not yet operational, and we don’t know if it ever will be. Nor have I yet understood what it intends to do.”

During his remarks, the cardinal noted that the situation in the Gaza Strip is also at a standstill because Hamas refuses to hand over its weapons until Israel withdraws, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government refuses to withdraw until the Islamist movement disarms.

Regarding the West Bank, he decried that “there are attacks by settlers against Palestinians — including Christians — almost daily.”

Furthermore, he said there are Israeli legislative initiatives to re-register land to the detriment of the Palestinian population, and traveling to the area has become more difficult.

More than 200 Christian teachers living in the West Bank city of Bethlehem are no longer able to reach the 15 Christian schools in Jerusalem.

“We are always under constant tension,” the cardinal added, “and the situation remains very complicated for all of us.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Amid anxiety and uncertainty, prayer has emerged as a spiritual refuge and a source of peace and serenity for these Christian communities.

Speaking to ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, Catholic faithful living in Kuwait shared their moving experience of clinging to prayer and seeking shelter in it during difficult times.

Norma and Angela Fernandez recalled their shock at hearing news of the war’s outbreak on the evening of Feb. 28 as they were preparing to attend Mass after participating in a talk on the Seven Sorrows of Mary during a training course for catechism teachers at Our Lady of Arabia minor basilica in Ahmadi.

“We offered the Mass for the intention that the war would end quickly and that peace would return,” they said.

In the days that followed, “we were stunned and somewhat afraid, because in Kuwait we are not used to the sound of sirens, followed by the buzz of air defenses intercepting missiles and drones, and the frightening blasts and rumbling they leave behind.” Iranian missiles targeted American bases across Gulf countries, including Kuwait.

“But we witnessed the courage of the country’s leaders and its people in confronting the attacks, and their vigilance in protecting Kuwait’s security and the safety of all who live there, citizens and residents alike,” they said.

”The Church, too, kept watch over its faithful and worked hard to accompany them spiritually, doing everything possible to remain in contact with them. “Thanks to all the clergy, we were able to continue celebrating holy Mass online, with churches closed in the first days in response to the civil authorities’ instructions. What a great blessing. We are all blessed.”

The Fernandez sisters said that gathering in prayer for peace and seeking the intercession of the Virgin Mary, patroness of the apostolic vicariates of Northern and Southern Arabia, fills the hearts of the faithful with peace and strengthens their hope and trust in the Lord Jesus, “for he cares for us and protects us.”

Our Lady of Arabia Church reopened its doors on March 9 to worshippers praying for peace and for the safety of every human person.

“We are not called to judge those who harm us but to ask God to purify their hearts, fill them with mercy, and forgive them, repeating the words of Our Lord: ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,’” the sisters said.

Another Kuwaiti Catholic, Sharan Diaz, said the difficult times the Middle East is living through are a powerful reminder of God’s grace, because they remind the faithful that Christ is present whenever they gather in prayer and in the sacrament of the Eucharist.

Diaz said being unable to attend Mass in person and receive Communion during the period when churches were closed left an emptiness in her heart and reminded her of the importance of the Eucharist.

“As soon as the churches reopened, they were filled with faithful eager to celebrate the Eucharist and receive holy Communion. It is a great blessing,” Diaz said. “Despite all that is happening in our world, being able to visit the church, encounter Jesus, and receive him in holy Communion fills my heart with gratitude.”

This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

“The situation in Lebanon, in Beirut, and all over Lebanon is a catastrophic situation,” Sehnaoui told “EWTN News Nightly” host Veronica Dudo on March 18. “We are a peaceful country, and here we are with shelling all over.”

Sehnaoui leads the Order of Malta’s Lebanon Association, which, he said, “is all over the Lebanese territory,” with about 600 employees charged with operating more than 60 projects related to health, social, and agricultural humanitarian aid. The Order of Malta also operates 12 mobile medical centers, he said.

“Around 20% of our population had to run away,” he said, noting that “where to put them” has become “a very complicated situation.” He further cited about 1,000 casualties in the region, noting the deaths of 60 people “just today.”

“To see this is very painful, as you can imagine, when there is shelling, destruction, and death,” he said, “but we will survive.”

Sehnaoui emphasized the war’s impact on the Christian community, warning that if the war continues, increased pressure on Christians in the region may force them to leave their homes.

“We don’t want immigration; we want people to stay on their lands,” he said. “And this is why the order has opened a lot of projects on agriculture, so they can be there and cultivate the land and have food.”

“What is important for [the Lebanese Christian community] and others is to have their dignity,” he said. “And the order is a factor in giving back dignity and being an instrument of coexistence … not through weapons but through love and presence at the side of the suffering.”

Sehnaoui expressed gratitude to Pope Leo XIV for visiting Lebanon last year, which he said “was very important for all Lebanese.”

Kharg Island is located in the northeastern part of the Persian “Arabian” Gulf, about 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) off the Iranian coast, opposite the city of Bushehr.

Because of the island’s strategic position and deep waters, it has held particular importance throughout history and is also one of the few islands in the Gulf with its own source of fresh water — a factor that helped make settlement there possible since ancient times.

Although the island is neither an oil field nor a giant refinery, it serves as Iran’s most important gateway for oil exports to the world. It contains oil storage facilities capable of holding more than 20 million barrels of crude arriving through a vast network of pipelines, before being shipped from its large terminals.

Around 90% of Iran’s oil exports pass through the island. These exports total roughly 1.5 million barrels per day — a figure that exceeds the output of most OPEC countries.

In the context of recent developments, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the bombing that struck the island two days ago destroyed military assets without targeting its vital oil infrastructure, since hitting those facilities could send already-high oil prices even higher.

According to the latest reports, Axios cited a U.S. official as saying that Trump is leaning toward the idea of direct control over the island, which could deal a severe economic blow to the Iranian authorities. Such a move, however, would require the deployment of ground forces, which would not be easy to carry out.

A Christian presence

Although no conclusive evidence is available, it is likely that a Christian presence on the island began in the fourth century and that in the following century Kharg became part of the Diocese of Beth Qatraye of the Church of the East.

The confirmed Christian presence there, however, dates to the late Sasanian period in the sixth century. Notably, the fall of the Sasanian Empire to Arab forces in the seventh century did not bring that presence to an end.

On the contrary, the island experienced significant ecclesial activity afterward that continued until the ninth century. From that point on, the Christian community on the island gradually declined until it eventually disappeared.

The most prominent archaeological witness to this period is a monastic complex regarded as the largest Christian archaeological site discovered so far in the Gulf region. It was uncovered by French archaeologist Roman Ghirshman in 1960 and dates to the seventh century, or at the latest the eighth century. The site includes a central church where floral stucco decorations were found, along with a number of interior rooms, including a dining hall, a hall for the instruction of monks, a library, and a room for copying texts, in addition to at least 19 adjoining three-chamber monastic cells.

It is worth noting that excavations on the island have remained limited. Ghirshman focused primarily on the church more than on the monastery itself or other sites on the island. For that reason, it remains likely that other Christian remains have yet to be discovered.

The island also contains rock-cut tombs dating to various periods, including the Seleucid, Parthian, and Sasanian eras.

Significantly, Christians reused some of these ancient tombs, where “Nestorian crosses” were found carved into the stone, along with grave markers decorated with floral motifs in the shape of the cross.

ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, also contacted the Assyrian Church of the East Patriarchate to better understand the monastery’s history and significance. According to the patriarchate’s secretary, Patriarch Mar Awa III, head of the Assyrian Church of the East, incorporated into the new patriarchal complex in Erbil, Iraq, is one of the cross designs used at the monastery on Kharg Island. The patriarchate also said the property today belongs to the state.

Today, the monastery site is surrounded by a security fence tied to the island’s military use, limiting access while also contributing in part to its protection. Even so, these remains remain threatened, not only by erosion and oil pollution but also by geopolitical conflict, which repeatedly makes the island a military target. The question remains: Will Kharg’s Christian heritage survive the present conflict, or will it become yet another casualty of international strife?

This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated for and adapted by EWTN News English.

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According to a March 16 statement released by Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, fragments of the missile “fell on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Armenian Patriarchate, the Jewish Quarter, and the Temple Mount, near the Al-Aqsa Mosque.”

The government of Israel condemned the Iranian regime for “firing missiles at the holy sites of Jerusalem, endangering Jews, Muslims, and Christians alike,” and added that Israel “is acting to protect the faithful of all religions in its capital.”

Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein provided details of the incident at a press conference held near the impact site.

“We are here next to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. A missile from the Iranian regime, a ballistic missile launched from Iran, struck this location,” he stated.

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Marmorstein emphasized that the attack directly endangered the city’s principal holy sites. “The Iranian regime is targeting the holy sites of Jerusalem. This is a holy site, and the Iranian regime almost destroyed it,” he said.

“Basically, the entire Old City is in danger because of these ballistic missiles fired by Iran against the civilian population and, now, against the holy sites of Jerusalem,” Marmorstein added.

According to the spokesman, the objective of these attacks is to inflict the greatest possible harm on the civilian population. “The defenses are strong, but the intentions and objective of the Iranian regime are clear: They are trying to cause the highest possible number of civilian casualties, and now they are also targeting holy sites in the city of Jerusalem.”

“They are attacking Muslims, they are attacking Christians, and they are attacking Jews,” he emphasized. “Imagine what would have happened if that ballistic missile that landed just meters away had directly struck this holy site. It would be a nightmare.”

What is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre?

Historically, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is the single holiest site for the Christians of Jerusalem.

According to Christian tradition, the sanctuary contains the site where Jesus Christ was crucified — known as Golgotha ​​or Calvary — and the tomb where he was buried and from which he rose again on the third day.

The complex was originally built in the fourth century by order of Emperor Constantine, after his mother, St. Helena, identified the site during a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

Today, the church’s complex is jointly administered by several apostolic Christian communities — including the Catholic Church, the Greek Orthodox Church, the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Coptic Orthodox Church, and the Ethiopian Orthodox Church — and receives millions of pilgrims each year.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Auxiliary Bishop William Shomali, patriarchal vicar, told ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, that fragments landed “on the roof of the Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem, above the parking area, and near the entrance.” He added that some debris also fell near the Frères, Terra Sancta, and St. Joseph Sisters schools.

“The center of the explosion was not directly above us but slightly farther away,” he said, noting that a large fragment fell at the Shepherds’ Field Church in Beit Sahour, east of Bethlehem, highlighting the wide spread of the debris.

Joseph Hazboun, regional director of the Pontifical Mission in Jerusalem, also told ACI MENA that the situation in the city is “tense and worrying.” He explained that the greatest danger comes from rocket fragments resulting from interception systems, since it is impossible to predict where they may land.

Hazboun also mentioned that fragments had previously fallen near Al-Makassed Hospital on the Mount of Olives and along roads frequently used by the mission’s team, including the road leading to the Pater Noster Monastery, the Benedictine Sisters’ convent, and the Notre Dame des Douleurs elderly care center, where a major project is currently underway and visited daily by staff.

The Latin Patriarchate is located inside Jerusalem’s Old City, about a 500-meter (.3-mile) walk from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Most Christian churches, institutions, and schools in the area are situated within a radius of roughly 250 to 300 meters (820 to 984 feet) from the Holy Sepulchre, underscoring the close geographic proximity of many religious and educational sites in the heart of the Old City.

Patriarchate continues its services

Despite ongoing threats, rockets, and repeated calls to seek shelter, Sami El-Yousef, general administrator of the Latin Patriarchate, emphasized the dedication of employees who continue to work at the patriarchate’s headquarters in Jerusalem’s Old City.

He explained that their commitment ensures the continuation of pastoral, humanitarian, and financial services on which thousands of families depend.

“The war will not stop us from providing our services,” El-Yousef said. “We will continue to remain here to ensure the continuity of our work and to support the Christian community in the Holy Land.”

This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

The funeral was held at St. George’s Church and drew crowds of local families, displaced people who had sought refuge in the area, Maronite priests from across the country, and civil authorities, according to The Eastern Church.

Many of those present felt “as if they were burying their own father,” a reflection of the close relationship the priest had forged with the community over the years.

Al-Rahi was the parish priest of St. George’s Church in Qlayaa, a predominantly Christian village of about 8,000 inhabitants, near the border with Israel.

The parish became the center of his ministry within the Maronite Church, an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the pope and the Maronite patriarchate in Bkerke.

A shepherd who chose to stay with his flock

Amid the escalating violence in southern Lebanon, the priest reiterated his decision to remain with his community, even as many residents of the region were forced to flee their homes.

In one of his last television interviews, according to the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News, he stated that he would stay there “until death.”

Southern Lebanon’s Christian communities have refused to comply with Israeli evacuation orders fearing that if they left they would never get their land back, as it would be occupied by some group — whether it be Israelis or other local groups.

In his last public statement, reported by France24 on March 8 from the steps of his parish, the priest explained the spirit with which the Christian community was facing the crisis.

“We are obliged to stay despite the danger, when we defend our land, and we do so peacefully. None of us carry weapons. We all bring peace, kindness, and love. All the churches are gathered, all the religions together … it can only be for peace.”

On March 9, hours before he died, al-Rahi addressed his community again with words that today resonate with many as a spiritual testament: “You know that we are walking the path of the Passion; there is death, and after it, resurrection with Our Lord Jesus Christ … I am ready to die in my house, because this is my house.”

He died while helping the wounded

The priest died in Marjayoun Hospital after suffering shrapnel wounds during a shelling of a house in Qlayaa.

According to María Lozano, project director for the Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) foundation, the priest died while trying to help victims of the first strike.

“Father Pierre went to see how he could help the wounded … and that’s when a second projectile hit and killed him,” she explained.

“He was a very dedicated person, very dedicated to his people,” Lozano added in an interview with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News.

The ACN project director explained that the Christian communities in southern Lebanon “had decided to stay despite the war, saying: ‘We are a Christian population and we have nothing to do with this war and we don’t want to leave.’”

‘The father of the community’

French journalist Nathalie Duplan, who specializes in the Middle East, described the priest as a figure deeply beloved by the villagers.

“He truly was the father of the community, a symbol,” she stated in an interview with ACI Prensa. “He used to say something incredible: ‘Yes, there is death, but I am not afraid, because after death there is resurrection.’”

According to The Eastern Church, testimonies gathered after his death consistently describe al-Rahi as a man who was approachable, present, and deeply committed to his people.

He was frequently seen on the streets of Qlayaa, visiting the sick, accompanying families at births and funerals, and knowing children by name.

Al-Rahi was born in 1975 in the village of Dibeh in northern Lebanon and was ordained a Maronite priest in the early 2000s.

His most significant pastoral assignment was at St. George’s Parish in Qlayaa, where he served for many years.

For many villagers, his death symbolizes the determination of southern Lebanese Christians to remain in their land despite the violence. As he himself said in one of his last public statements: “We are here, in our land.”

His name in Arabic, al-Rahi, means “the shepherd,” an interesting fact that Pope Leo XIV highlighted this week: “Father Pierre was a true shepherd who always remained with his people with the love and sacrifice of Jesus, the Good Shepherd.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

In the courtyard of St. George Church in a scene marked by tears, prayer, and hope, mourners bid farewell to Father Pierre al-Rahi, who was killed after shelling struck his town.

The funeral and burial rites were held with the participation of Bishop Elias Nassar, representing Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, and Maronite Archbishop of Tyre Charbel Abdallah, along with Lebanese Army Commander Gen. Rodolphe Haykal, members of the clergy, and a large crowd of townspeople and loved ones who came to bid farewell to their pastor.

In a message read on his behalf by Nassar, Cardinal al-Rahi expressed his “deep pain and sorrow” at the news of the priest’s martyrdom. He described him as a “zealous and courageous pastor” and a man marked by “priestly virtues filled with divine grace.”

Recalling Father Pierre al-Rahi’s priestly journey and pastoral service, the patriarch noted that the late priest was a son of the town of Debel and had lived his priesthood, since his ordination in 2014, with unconditional love, remaining close to children, youth, and families. As a result, St. George Parish in Qlayaa, which he had served for about five years, became “a model of a vibrant parish of Christ.”

Cardinal al-Rahi noted that the martyred priest’s role was not limited to pastoral work. He also held ecclesial, canonical, and social responsibilities in the Archdiocese of Tyre, while serving those who were suffering, the poor, and prisoners.

The patriarch also stressed Father Pierre al-Rahi’s “courageous” decision to remain with the steadfast people of Qlayaa while the region bears the cost of the ongoing war. He added in his message: “We pray that his martyrdom may be an act of redemption for the people of Qlayaa and for all Lebanon and the Lebanese who reject this war and long for a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace.”

Pope Leo XIV mourned the martyred priest at the end of his weekly general audience on Wednesday. He said al-Rahi embodied the meaning of his family name, becoming “a true shepherd,” always close to his flock and filled with the love and sacrifice of Jesus, the Good Shepherd. He added that the priest rushed without hesitation to help members of his parish as soon as he heard they had been wounded in the shelling. The pope concluded with a prayer for peace in the Middle East, saying: “We ask God to make his shed blood a seed of peace for beloved Lebanon.”

This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

In an official statement, the assembly announced that its members had been forced to suspend their plenary meeting, which was scheduled to take place in Nazareth, because of security measures. Instead, they met online to exchange updates on the situation in their Churches.

The statement noted that communities in the Holy Land are all suffering, to varying degrees, from the consequences of the war unfolding in the region.

Yet, according to the assembly, what stands out is that Christian faithful have not yielded to the temptation to respond with violence, even in the most difficult circumstances. It described this as a true sign of hope and a clear witness to Christian identity.

In the context of Lent, the members of the assembly called on the faithful to intensify their prayers and sacrifices, lifting their prayers to God to enlighten the hearts of the leaders of nations and guide them toward the path leading to true peace in the region.

The members also bid farewell to Archbishop Adolfo Tito Yllana, who has concluded his service as apostolic nuncio in the Holy Land, emphasizing that his presence reflected the pope’s closeness and deep concern for this land and its people.

The statement also referred to the martyrdom of Lebanese Maronite priest Father Pierre al-Rahi, who was killed in an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon while carrying out his pastoral ministry. The members offered their condolences and prayers for the repose of his soul, saying that his sacrifice may become a seed of peace for the entire Middle East.

In the same context, Father Ibrahim Faltas of the Custody of the Holy Land, in an article published by Al-Quds newspaper, expressed his concern over the reality in the region, calling for an immediate halt to the war, which threatens the innocent and erases the meaning of respect for life.

He described Jerusalem these days as a silent city, nearly empty of pilgrims, speaking of shuttered shops and daily life weighed down by anxiety and hardship. He pointed out that the closure of holy sites to the faithful of the three monotheistic religions, including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, reflects the depth of the crisis the region is experiencing. He said: “Because of the ban imposed on the Old City of Jerusalem, we were unable last Friday to pray the Way of the Cross.”

Faltas said this silence and emptiness enveloping the city raise to heaven a shared prayer from the hearts of believers everywhere, a prayer that asks for peace, not victory, and calls for the restoration of the dignity of life and an end to the spiral of violence in the Holy Land.

This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

The resignation raises questions about the timing of the move — especially given the difficulties facing Iraq, home to the Chaldean patriarchal see — and the broader Middle East amid the horrors of war and renewed conflicts.

But other questions about the next step in this transitional period, and about how a successor to the resigned patriarch will be elected, may be even more pressing today for the faithful looking to the future at a time when the Church in Iraq and the countries of the East more broadly faces fundamental challenges to its presence in its historic homeland, especially the continuing drain of emigration.

An autonomous, self-governing church within the Catholic Church

The Chaldean Church, one of the churches born from the ancient Church of the East, is one of the Eastern Churches that follows the papal authority in Rome while at the same time enjoying “self-governance” under Canon 27 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. This allows it to manage its internal affairs in accordance with the law it has established for itself or with the higher authority in the Catholic Church.

It is also important to note that the process of electing a new patriarch is the same in all Eastern Catholic Churches. 

How is a patriarch of the Chaldean Church elected?

The Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, discussed by Father Salim Saka, a specialist in canon law, in his book on the Eastern Catholic patriarchates, lays out the mechanisms for electing a new patriarch. It first states that the bishop senior by episcopal ordination among the bishops of the patriarchal territory becomes the administrator of the Church when the patriarchal see is vacant, whether because of “the death of the patriarch or his resignation.”

The administrator is responsible for preparing everything necessary for the election of the new patriarch and for convoking the Synod of Bishops, whose members are in turn obliged to attend the election unless a legitimate impediment arises.

The code also affirms that the election of a patriarch “in a lawful manner” takes place in the Synod of Bishops of the Church, which must be held “at the patriarchal residence or in another place designated by the administrator with the consent of the synod” within one month from the date of the vacancy, while observing the particular law of the Church, provided that the period does not exceed two months.

Only the synod fathers have the right to vote. No one else may be present in the election hall, except clerics who assist in counting the votes and recording the proceedings. At the same time, the law does not require that the person elected patriarch already be a bishop at the time of the election.

A two-thirds quorum

The Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches sets the legal quorum at two-thirds of the synod fathers “after excluding those detained by a legitimate impediment,” so that the synod may be considered lawful and capable of electing the patriarch.

Unless there are different criteria under the particular law of the Church, the person who obtains a two-thirds majority is considered elected, underscoring the need for broad agreement on the future patriarch.

The synod fathers must observe the legal time frame for the election, which is 15 days. If the election fails within that period, the matter is referred to the Roman pontiff.

Acceptance, announcement, and enthronement

If the person elected does not declare his acceptance within two days, he loses every right acquired through the election. If he accepts, the synod announces the election of the new patriarch and sets the date for his enthronement.

The new patriarch must then request ecclesiastical communion from the Roman pontiff by a signed written letter as soon as possible. Although he does not begin to exercise his responsibilities lawfully until after enthronement, he may not convoke the Synod of Bishops or ordain any bishop before receiving ecclesiastical communion from the Roman pontiff.

What about the resigned patriarch?

The code also states that a patriarch who resigns from office “retains his title and dignity, especially in liturgical celebrations.” A suitable residence is to be provided for him, with his consent, along with decent means of support.

Election, then hereditary succession, then election again

It is worth noting that Patriarch Shimun IV Basidi (1437–1497) introduced hereditary succession in the selection of patriarchs, replacing election, so that the choice of a new patriarch was restricted to members of the previous patriarch’s family. This provoked dissatisfaction and opposition within the Church, especially in 1539, when “Patriarch Shimun VII Ishoyahb (1538–1558) was compelled to ordain his nephew, who had scarcely reached the age of 12, as metropolitan because there was no one else in the patriarchal family.”

At that time, the opponents gathered and chose Yohannan Sulaqa as patriarch. He then went to Rome to establish union with the Catholic Church. There he received episcopal ordination from Pope Julius III in April 1553, who proclaimed him patriarch of the Chaldeans, vested him with the sacred pallium, and gave him the bull granting him authority over the East, India, and China, making him the first Chaldean patriarch in the “Catholic” Chaldean Church.

The roots of Christianity in Mesopotamia go back to the first centuries after Christ. According to tradition, the apostle Thomas is regarded as the founder and first preacher of Christianity there, together with Addai, one of the 72 disciples, and his disciples Aggai and Mari. In later ages, the Christians of Mesopotamia came to be known as the Church of the East.

This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

“We know for a fact that many of the Christians, in particular the poorest and some of the older Christians, made the decision to not leave southern Lebanon,” Jesuit Father Daniel Corrou told “EWTN News Nightly” in a March 10 interview. Corrou oversees a public shelter for migrant workers in the southern suburbs of Beirut and is the regional director of Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) in the Middle East and North Africa.

“Their fear was that if they did leave, that they would never be able to get their land back again, that it would be occupied by some group — whether it was Israeli, or whether it was other local groups here,” he said.

The interview comes after Father Pierre al-Rahi, a Maronite priest in southern Lebanon, was killed in an Israeli bombing on March 9.

“The Israelis have asked for a mass evacuation from all of southern Lebanon, south of the Litani River,” Corrou said. “They did the same for Dahieh, a neighborhood in southern Beirut — there were 700,000 people in the area where they forced a mass evacuation. Hundreds and hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced as a result.”

Corrou described hearing drone strikes overhead “all day long,” saying: “This is our reality.”

The priest said while many Lebanese Christians in the south have refused to abandon their homes, “in order to maintain the Christian presence along the border with Israel,” many refugees and migrant workers and refugees from countries including Sudan, Yemen, and Sri Lanka, have sought safety at his shelter.

He emphasized the vulnerability of this demographic, noting that they lack the support system most Lebanese people have through their families, communities, or political organizations.

“The one thing that they have is their faith community,” he said.

“For 40 years, the Christians here have known this church to be a safe haven,” Corrou said. “When things go bad, they have for 40 or 50 years shown up on our doorstep. As they’ve done before, they brought their Hindu, Buddhist, and Muslim brothers and sisters with them.”

“That’s what happened on early Monday morning when the war began again,” he said. “As it had happened in 2024, they showed up on our doorstep, and unfortunately, we were ready and happy to welcome them, but it’s a terrible circumstance.”

Lebanon’s foreign minister, Youssef Raggi, said on Tuesday he had contacted the Holy See to raise concerns about the situation. In a phone call with Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican’s secretary for relations with states, Raggi discussed the latest developments in Lebanon and the difficult conditions facing border villages in the south.

He also asked the Holy See to intervene and mediate in order to help preserve the Christian presence in those villages, whose residents, he noted, have consistently supported the Lebanese state and its official military institutions.

Gallagher, for his part, affirmed that the Holy See is making the necessary diplomatic contacts to help halt the escalation in Lebanon and prevent the displacement of citizens from their lands. He also assured that Lebanon remains in the prayers of Pope Leo.

A worsening crisis for southern Lebanon’s Christian villages

The foreign minister’s appeal comes as the situation for Christian border villages grows increasingly dire.

On Monday, Father Pierre al-Rahi was killed in an Israeli strike on the Christian village of Qlayaa. According to local reports, Hezbollah militants had infiltrated the town, turning it into a potential target. Residents alerted al-Rahi, who reportedly went to confront the armed men and asked them to leave the village. The strike that followed killed him.

His death shocked Lebanon and drew attention across the Catholic world, where many saw in him as a hero and shepherd who chose to remain with his community despite the dangers.

It was not the first such tragedy. The day before, Youssef Al-Ghafri, a Christian farmer, was killed in the town of Alma al-Shaab in similar circumstances.

On Tuesday, United Nations peacekeepers from UNIFIL escorted residents of Alma al-Shaab out of the village as they evacuated their homes. The residents had hoped to remain and had appealed for the Lebanese army to deploy and protect the town, but the protection did not materialize, forcing families to leave.

There are now growing fears that other Christian towns along the border could face the same fate. The mayor of Rmeish, for example, said he received a warning call from an Israeli officer stating that the town itself is not considered a target but that it would become one if Hezbollah militants entered it.

The problem, residents say, is that these villages lack the presence of the Lebanese army needed to prevent such infiltrations, making it extremely difficult for local communities to control the situation.

Caught between Israeli strikes and Hezbollah’s military adventures, Christian villagers fear they are paying the price of a conflict they oppose — at risk of becoming not only collateral damage but also pawns in a wider regional confrontation.

According to reports from An-Nahar, the apostolic nuncio to Lebanon, Archbishop Paolo Borgia, has scheduled a visit to the Christian border villages next Friday in a gesture of solidarity with their residents and in rejection of any plans that could lead to the displacement of those who remain. The visit aims to encourage villagers to remain in their homes and on their land despite the growing dangers.

In addition, according to MTV Lebanon, the United States has intervened, in coordination with Israel, to help protect Christian villages in southern Lebanon. However, the sources said the main challenge remains the absence of the Lebanese army in these areas, which has made it difficult to prevent Hezbollah militants from entering the villages and turning them into potential targets.

Sako said the pope accepted it and agreed to delay its official announcement and publication until noon the following day, at Sako’s request.

A ministry marked by love

“To put an end to speculation,” the Chaldean patriarch stressed that he had requested resignation of his own accord and that no one had asked him to do so. After 13 years on the patriarchal see — years he described as marked by “care, love, attentiveness, and flourishing” — he said he had led the Chaldean Church and safeguarded its institutions “under extremely difficult circumstances and amid great challenges,” sparing no effort in defending the Church and the rights of Iraqis in general and Christians in particular.

Sako noted that he had previously announced his intention to submit his resignation upon turning 75, in keeping with earlier decisions of the Chaldean Synod that his predecessors had not implemented. He said he discussed the matter with the late Pope Francis, who encouraged him to remain.

He expressed confidence in God’s care for his Church and his hope that, “in these difficult times,” the Chaldean Catholic Church would be led by a patriarch who believes in renewal, openness, and dialogue, and who possesses sound theological formation, courage, and wisdom. He emphasized that he would respect his successor and would not interfere in his work.

Sako also said he had written his will while still a priest and later updated it, specifying the money he possesses from his salaries over 52 years of priestly ministry and what he inherited from his family. He said his true wealth lies in his devoted service, in addition to the 45 books he has published.

‘Remember me in your prayers’

He concluded by thanking God for his abundant blessings and expressing gratitude to his family and to all those with whom he lived and whom he served as a priest in Mosul, as a bishop in Kirkuk, and then as patriarch in Baghdad. He also asked forgiveness “from the bottom of my heart from all those whom I have hurt.”

Sako offered special thanks to his auxiliary, Bishop Basil Yaldo, to his secretary, to the priests of Baghdad, and to those working in the patriarchate. While assuring them all of his prayers, he asked them in return: “Remember me in your prayers.”

Sako the priest, bishop, and patriarch

Sako, born in one of the villages of Zakho in Iraq’s Duhok province on July 4, 1948, was elected patriarch of the Chaldean Church on Jan. 28, 2013, succeeding Patriarch Cardinal Emmanuel III Delly. Pope Benedict XVI confirmed his appointment on Feb. 1, 2013, and he was formally installed on March 6 of the same year.

On June 28, 2018, the late Pope Francis elevated him to the rank of cardinal in recognition of his notable contributions and distinguished service. Sako often took pride in the fact that his patriarchate witnessed the first papal visit to Iraq, when Pope Francis made his historic trip to the country in March 2021.

Challenges and crises

During the 13 years of his patriarchate, Sako faced several major challenges, most notably repeated confrontations with the Babylon Movement and its leader, whom the Chaldean patriarch described as “an armed militia that has seized Christians’ political and financial resources.”

In a related development, Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid in July 2023 revoked Presidential Decree No. 147 of 2013 concerning the “appointment” of Sako as patriarch of the Chaldean Church in Iraq and worldwide and as head of its endowments. At the time, the patriarchate described the move as “unprecedented in the history of Iraq.”

Sako subsequently withdrew from Baghdad to the patriarchate’s summer residence in Ankawa, Erbil, in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region. He returned nine months later in response to an invitation from Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who issued a decree naming Sako patriarch of the Chaldean Church in Iraq and worldwide and entrusting him with oversight of its endowments.

Several Iraqi media outlets also stirred controversy over the cardinal’s comments about his unique experience in the conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV, describing them as a disclosure of conclave proceedings, whose secrecy all cardinals swear to protect before the assembly begins.

Today’s announcement by the Holy See of the acceptance of the resignation of Bishop Emanuel Hana Shaleta, bishop of the Chaldean Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle of San Diego, and the appointment of Bishop Saad Hanna Sirop as apostolic administrator, also recalled the Chaldean Patriarchate’s recent call for accuracy and caution against misleading information circulated by some media outlets and social media regarding “allegations and complaints” involving several of its bishops.

This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated for and adapted by EWTN News English.

But on Monday, that resilience took a tragic turn. What had become a symbol of persistence turned into a scene of martyrdom, when a Catholic parish priest was killed in an Israeli strike that hit the border village of Qlayaa in southern Lebanon.

Father Pierre al-Rahi, who had chosen to remain with his parishioners, died alongside the community he refused to abandon. Pope Leo XIV expressed sorrow over the death on March 9.

According to local media reports, Hezbollah militants infiltrated the Christian town, turning it into a target for Israeli airstrikes. Residents alerted al-Rahi, who reportedly went to confront them and ask them to leave the village. The strike that killed him occurred around that time.

In one of his last television interviews before the strike, al-Rahi said: “We will remain here until death.”

It was not the first time he had expressed such determination. During a previous round of the war in 2024, speaking from the same village of Qlayaa, he said: “We will not leave. We are projects of martyrdom, and we will not abandon our land.”

His death sparked strong reactions among Lebanon’s Christian community, particularly from political and religious leaders. Fingers were pointed at both Israel and Hezbollah. In a statement, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea confirmed that Hezbollah fighters had infiltrated the village of Qlayaa, triggering Israeli strikes that led to al-Rahi’s death.

Father Dany Dergham, known for his political activism, wrote on X that during both the current war and previous rounds of fighting, al-Rahi had repeatedly warned about the presence of armed men among the peaceful residents of his town.

Meanwhile, a video also circulated online showing Father Hanna Khoury, another priest from Qlayaa, saying that anyone whose presence or activities in the village are unknown should be considered a threat to the community, reflecting fears among residents about the infiltration of Hezbollah militants into the town.

Al-Rahi was not the only victim of the strikes. Several residents were injured, and earlier, community pages from Christian villages in southern Lebanon also announced the death of a Christian farmer, Sami Youssef al-Ghafri — from the nearby town of Alma al-Shaab — who was killed in the shelling.

Christian residents of southern Lebanon have also been calling for the deployment of the Lebanese army in their towns.

They say they wish to remain on their land, fearing that if they evacuate, Hezbollah could use their villages to launch rockets, exposing them to destruction. Some also express concern that if Israel launches a ground operation, displacement could lead to the loss of their land.