Patriarch of Jerusalem calls on Churches to support Christians of Holy Land

Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem. Photo: Orthodoxia News Agency

On December 28, 2025, Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem appealed to the Orthodox Churches to support the Christians of the Holy Land amid continuing trials. He said this after the Divine Liturgy in Jerusalem, Orthodoxia News Agency reports.

According to the primate of the Church of Jerusalem, Christian communities in the Holy Land and throughout the region today have a particular need for spiritual support and encouragement from the Orthodox world. He emphasized that it is precisely the Church that is called to strengthen believers and help them preserve hope in difficult circumstances.

“Despite the difficulties we face, we cannot yield to despair and hopelessness; on the contrary, we must always preach the Gospel of the Angels – a message of hope, justice, and peace,” Patriarch Theophilos said, calling Orthodox Christians to prayerful and fraternal solidarity.

The primate also recalled the special responsibility of the Jerusalem Patriarchate for preserving the Holy Land and its Christian heritage. According to him, the joy of the Nativity of Christ and the holy shrines have, over the centuries, been preserved through the efforts of the Orthodox Church and the faithful.

The Patriarch of Jerusalem stressed that support from the Orthodox Churches is of key importance for preserving the Christian presence in the Holy Land and for strengthening the faith of people living under constant trials.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that the Patriarch of Jerusalem called for rejecting a worldly understanding of Christmas.

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