“One more day of war won’t solve the situation”

Parish priest of Holy Family in Gaza to Aid to the Church in Need Fr. Gabriel Romanelli says that living with 500 people in a closed compound is not easy, but that the Christians in Gaza consider themselves fortunate to have survived thus far and to be able to help thousands of other families in …

“Thank you for keeping the Christian presence alive in Jerusalem”

Life in Jerusalem’s Old City is difficult for the Christians who continue to live there, many of whom are poor. Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has been providing help to struggling families through projects carried out by the Latin Patriarchate. The Old City of Jerusalem is a magical place to visit, with its …

ACN Project of the Week – Egypt

Renovation of the Coptic Catholic seminary in Maadi In Maadi, a suburb of Cairo, 28 young men are currently training for the priesthood at Egypt’s one and only Coptic Catholic seminary. They come from different parts of the country. Abba Romany Fawzy, the rector of the seminary explains: “The mission of the seminary is to …

Churches cry foul as tax war flares up again in Israel

Last February, the heads of Christian Churches in the Holy Land have officially protested against a renewed attempt to force them to pay certain taxes in the State of Israel. The most pressing case at the moment is related to the Armenian Church, but there are many cases involving Catholic institutions. The patriarchs and heads …

Christians eager to help rebuild a Syria based on equal rights

The situation for Christians in Syria varies from city to city, according to local sources, and Christians have greeted with cautious optimism the transitional government’s guarantees to respect religious freedom. Christian leaders in Syria have expressed their willingness to work with the provisional government, following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, to build a new …

Lebanon: between hope and uncertainty

Due to the massive destruction in the Bekaa Valley and in southern Lebanon, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN)’s emergency relief projects remain very significant for the country. “With the appointment of a new president, hope returned to Lebanon,” reports Marielle Boutros, project coordinator of the international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in …

Gaza ceasefire: reaction of the Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land (ACOHL)

The Catholic Ordinaries of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem (LPJ) have reacted to the ceasefire in Gaza. Please click on the link below to read an unofficial French translation, on the Patriarchate’s website. The official version is available in English and Italian. https://www.lpj.org/en/news/declaration-of-the-catholic-ordinaries-on-the-ceasefire-ingaza2025 Thank you for continuing to pray for lasting peace in the Holy Land. 

King Charles III attends Advent service in support of Iraqi Christians

On Tuesday, December 17, King Charles III was present for a special Advent service at a Church in Mayfair, London, co-hosted by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). The service at the Church of the Immaculate Conception celebrated the courage and perseverance of Iraqi Christian communities and reflected on the 10th anniversary of the …

The Church wants to offer a joyful Christmas in Gaza and elsewhere in the Holy Land

More than one year after the war began, Pope Francis continues to phone the Catholic parish in Gaza every day and has become a grandfather figure to the children, says Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa. The Latin patriarchate of Jerusalem continues to give as much support as it can to the small Christian community in Gaza, as …

A ray of hope for Christians in the Holy Land this Christmas

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa says that even though he does not believe there is a short-term solution to the crisis in the Holy Land, he does have hope for the future of Christians in the region. The Latin patriarch of Jerusalem believes that the end of the war in Gaza is in sight but warns that …