For long years, the plight of Middle East Christians has been the utmost concern of peace-lovers and those who uphold common living, equality, and justice.

With the cycle of violence reverberating in various nooks and crannies of the Middle East, the Christians who are the indigenous people of the area, undergo the feeling that they are left in the cold at a time when prayers are offered to secure their safety, and while the stream of emigration persists uninterrupted. There have been numerous calls to preserve the Christian presence in the Middle East, yet dangers still loom in the horizon.

In a recent letter addressed to bishops, designed to highlight the importance of this year’s "Good Friday Collection" for the places linked to Jesus’ earthly life, Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, the Prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, recalled the "weeping, despair, and destruction" that have marked the Holy Land in recent years due to violence and conflict.

In an interview with Vatican Media following his letter, the Cardinal explained that, “This appeal for the Christians of the Holy Land is, at the same time, a general appeal to urgently put an end to this disgrace, this form of looting as if the land were private property. The land belongs to the people.”

Cardinal Gugerotti emphasized that peace cannot be achieved through military force, which only serves the interests of a few, as he pointed to the ongoing crises in Gaza, the West Bank, Syria, and Lebanon, as well as conflicts in Ukraine, Africa, and Asia.

He noted that "the images from the Holy Land rob us of sleep and take our breath away; what is happening is inhumane," with this sentiment he reaffirmed the importance of the Good Friday Collection, a papal initiative dating back to Pope St. Paul VI’s time, and added, "that is why I have asked that fundraising efforts not be duplicated, to avoid dispersing resources. This collection is the backbone of aid for the Holy Land. I have urged in my letter that it be a pastoral priority."

He continued that while the collection traditionally aims to preserve the holy places, the primary concern now is preserving the Christian communities themselves, and said, "We cannot risk a mass exodus of Christians, abandoning the lands that still carry the fragrance of Jesus. These people are a living testimony of an unbroken connection with Christ. We do not raise our voices solely for humanitarian reasons—these people are a sacrament for us. But, of course, the Church also speaks out for all who are persecuted, weak, tormented, and abandoned."

Actually, the noble views expressed by Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti indicate that providing a persistent helping hand to the Middle East Christians is not a favor, but rather an exigent duty. On the other hand, it is dolorous to note that the ongoing turmoil in the Holy Land is having a devastating impact on religious tourism which is of cardinal importance to the livelihood of Christians who greatly rely on so as to be able to eke out a living. Despite these hardships, Cardinal Gugerotti remains firm in his belief in a better future.

At this time of war and famine, the annual "pro Terra Sancta"collection on Good Friday is more vital than ever, especially because of the dire situation of Christians, in Gaza in particular. This measure will help obviate any erosion of the Christian community of the Holy Land amidst the unabating conflicts. At a time when the Christians of Gaza are in the spotlight, the rest of the Christian communities present in the Holy Land are also heavily affected.

It is also important to indicate that at a meeting dedicated to the Christian presence and heritage in Jerusalem held by the Palestinian Academic Society for International Relations in Jerusalem on March 29, 2022, Bishop William Shomali, Vicar General of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, stressed the importance of the Christian heritage in the Holy Land, as well as the need to preserve it. He said, "It is necessary to provide the Christians of the Holy Land with the means to live decently today. However, we can clearly see, with the departure of the richest, which leave the poor behind, that the reasons for this are not economic. It is the political context that affects the presence of Christians in the Holy Land. We must see it as a call to unite as Palestinians, to live together with each other, Christians and Muslims. Christian unity has become important to improve and strengthen the image of Christians in the Holy Land, but also the support for them here in Jerusalem."

On the other hand, His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa has been taking periodic trips to various parishes in the Holy Land, so as to listen to their needs, console them, and provide the needed panacea.

May the days to come will ease tensions in the Middle East, help restore peace and tranquility, so that all people can work hand-in-hand to rebuild a promising future and eliminate all forms of suffering.