Support for Holy Land Christians

A senior Catholic bishop from Jerusalem is set to deliver a stark warning on the future of Christianity in the Holy Land when he addresses pilgrims next month at the International Eucharistic and Marian Shrine in Knock, Co Mayo, in the Archdiocese of Tuam.

Bishop William Shomali will travel to Ireland to lead the annual Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) pilgrimage at Our Lady’s Shrine in Knock on Saturday, 16 May. ACN, a papal charity, supports suffering and persecuted Christians worldwide, with a particular focus on regions such as the Holy Land.

Bishop Shomali is expected to highlight the challenges facing the region’s small and declining Christian population. He will warn that, without a sustained Christian presence, the Holy Land risks losing its living faith tradition.

Bishop Shomali will also address the economic hardship and discrimination facing local Christians. He is expected to stress that if conditions do not improve, Christianity in the Holy Land could become purely symbolic.

“Christians are the most persecuted religious group in the world and Bishop Shomali knows what it’s like to suffer for his faith,” said Brandon Scott, Advocacy Officer with ACN.

“Every day Bishop Shomali retraces Jesus’ footsteps on the lands where he shepherds his flock. It is the source of his resilience, and that of other Christians, living in the Holy Land.”

Mr Scott continued, “An important aspect of Bishop Shomali’s visit to Ireland will be his emphasis that the Christian presence in the Holy Land risks being relegated to the status of a museum, as opposed to one where people actively live their faith with their families and friends.”

ACN Ireland is encouraging pilgrims from across the island to attend the event, pray for peace, and hear directly from Bishop Shomali about both the difficulties, and the sources of hope, facing Christians in the Holy Land.

Mr Scott added, “We invite you, family, and friends to join Bishop Shomali on our special day out in Knock on Sunday 16 May to show solidarity with persecuted Christians around the world and to celebrate the work of CAN.”

The pilgrimage will begin with talks at 11.00am and conclude with Mass celebrated by Bishop Shomali at 3.00pm in Our Lady’s Basilica in Knock.