Christian Leaders Visit Gaza

At the end of June religious leaders of the Christian faith undertook visits to Gaza and The West Bank.

The Greek Orthodox Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem, Theophilos III and the Catholic Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa visited Gaza. They met with Christians and other Palestinians struggling to exist in the remnants of their once vibrant communities. It may seem superfluous to write this – but there are Christians in the West who do not realise that there are Palestinian Christians – even though that is the birthplace of their Faith. The Gaza Genocide is being perpetrated on all Palestinians, Christians and Muslims, by Israel.

Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem, and Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa were accompanied by Dr. Josef Blotz, Grand Hospitaller of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, and representatives of Malteser International, the Order’s humanitarian organization. The Christian Leaders expressed their feelings ” toward the whole population of Gaza, where families continue to endure grave humanitarian suffering, fear, loss, and uncertainty.”

On July 17 2025, at the Holy Parish, Gaza, an Israeli strike killed 3 people and injured 11. Cardinal Pizzaballa and Patriarch Theophilos III expressed solidarity with the victims’ families and met displaced residents. The Vatican News reports:

“That visit was considered historic because it was the first ecumenical visit of its kind during wartime. During their time there, the two patriarchs appealed to world leaders to bring an end to the war and to begin a path of healing and reconciliation for the whole of the Holy Land.”

On Saturday 4 July, islanders in Orkney will meet on the Kirk Green, outside St Magnus Cathedral, between 1 and 2pm, in vigil for the people of Gaza. They invite anyone who wishes to join with them in raising awareness of the continuing plight of Palestinians and in calling for a permanent ceasefire.

Another Christian Leader, Sarah Mullally,  the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury, is just back from a 5 day visit with the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem, Hosam Naoum. On returning they published a joint letter which said:

“From 19-24 June, 2026, we travelled as disciples of Christ on a pilgrimage through the Holy Land, praying and listening to God, listening to those we met, offering solidarity with those that are suffering, and allowing ourselves to be changed by all that we have seen and heard. “

Through the visit they were “drawn more deeply into the realities of life experienced by Palestinian Christians and by many others who call this land their home.”

They witnessed how the Christian Church is able to administer Hope to a people in such appalling conditions and of ” a resilient Christian steadfastness that chooses love over hate and refuses to let despair have the final word. “

“However, despite their faithful resistance we fear for the long-term future of the indigenous Christian Palestinian presence in the Holy Land that stretches back to the time when our Lord walked this land. This existential challenge demands our focused attention and collective responsibility. The time to act is now.”

It continues:

“We pray and call for an end to the enduring injustice in this land. Our pilgrimage was deeply enriched by our meetings with Palestinian and Israeli civil society, ecumenical, and interfaith groups working tirelessly to advance trust, justice, equality, and mutual understanding within and between communities. Their creativity and determination to secure self-determination for the Palestinian people, and a sustainable peace for all, must be amplified.”

As a symbolic gesture, visiting the Tent of Nations farm project south of Bethlehem in the West Bank, which has been in a decades-long struggle to protect its land from being confiscated, Archbishop Mullally planted an olive tree. Increasing numbers of Palestinian Christians have left the West Bank as settler violence and intimidation is driving them from their farms and villages. Daoud Nasser’s family have farmed for over 100 years and on their farm, now surrounded by illegal Israeli settlements, is an ancient Christian chapel, housed within a cave.

Also during her visit, Archibishsop Mullally met with 26 year old Layan Nasir, a Palestinian Anglican woman, who has been imprisoned by Israel three times in the last 5 years. The Archbishop also spoke with the parents of Natalie Abuddayeh, a Lutheran Palestinian Christian from Beit Jala, who was arrested from her student apartment in Birzeit earlier this month and placed into Israeli administrative detention.

The United Nations last week celebrated the signing of its charter, signed after the brutality, bloodshed and atrocities of a World War.

 “Humanity can choose cooperation over chaos; law over lawlessness; dignity over domination; and hope over fear,” – said Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary General on the UN Charter signed, 26 June 1945.

In this, our latest video, some of those attending the vigil in Gaza explain their reasons for doing so:

Fiona Grahame.