Church institutions in Jerusalem remain active despite increasing security threats

Concerns have grown in Jerusalem and Bethlehem following the recent escalation in military tensions after rocket fragments fell near Christian and educational sites in densely populated areas and along the paths of falling debris and rockets. No injuries were reported.

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.