Easter hope is stronger than fear for Christians in the Holy Land

Israeli authorities have only granted 6000 permits for Palestinian Christians in the West Bank to visit Jerusalem during the Easter period this year. There were 50,000 Palestinians wanting to visit the holy places at this time.

Father Ibrahim Faltas OFMCap, the Vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land in Jerusalem. who is responsible for handling such requests in the Bethlehem area, said he is very disappointed by the decision.

“Despite several high-level meetings, we haven’t been able to obtain more permits,” he said.

He said West Bank Christians face many restrictions on their freedom of movement during the year and wait for the Easter period to travel to Jerusalem to pray at the holy sites.

Fr Faltas noted that Easter is celebrated on the same day by Catholic and Orthodox Christians, and the date, April 20, coincides with the Jewish Passover. He said this should serve as a powerful opportunity for dialogue and mutual respect in this tragic moment for the Holy Land.

“One cannot get used to the violence while having the beauty of the holy places before their eyes,” he said.

In Gaza, Israeli airstrikes and shelling have restarted, hitting civilians and vital infrastructure such as hospitals, as happened on Palm Sunday with a deadly strike on the Ahli Arab Hospital.

But Fr Gabriel Romanelli, the parish priest of the Latin Church of the Holy Family in Gaza, said the desire to participate in the Easter celebrations, “especially among children and teenagers”, is stronger than the devastation and fear.

On Palm Sunday, the faithful gathered to celebrate Mass and among them were many Greek Orthodox people who had been displaced from the neighbouring church of St Porphyrios.

“We all prayed together for peace, for all those who have died, for the release of all those who have been deprived of their freedom, the prisoners and the hostages,” Fr Romanelli said.

The priest expressed his deep gratitude to Pope Francis for his unwavering closeness to the parish community of Gaza: “He continues to call us and is always close to us even in these weeks of physical impairment.”

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Easter celebrations in the Holy Land amid hardship and hope (By Lisa Zengarini/Vatican News)