Israel-Hamas war

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Altar of the Child Jesus and the relic of the manger in the Church of Saint Catherine (Basilica of the Nativity) in Bethlehem.

New Holy Land virtual Advent pilgrimage hopes to fill ‘holy sites with peace’

Dec 2, 2023

By Francesca Pollio Fenton

With the Israel-Hamas war, pilgrims can’t get to many holy sites this Advent and Christmas, so the Magdala Tourist Center... Read more

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MAP: Are Holy Land pilgrimage sites threatened by the Israel-Hamas war?  

Nov 30, 2023

By Jonah McKeown

Amid the uncertainty of war, what is the outlook for the Holy Land’s many precious sites? CNA spoke to Father... Read more

Pope Francis and Mons. Paolo Braida during the Sunday Angelus address, Nov. 26

Papal aide relays Pope Francis’ remarks at Sunday Angelus while pope recovers from flu

Nov 26, 2023

By Matthew Santucci

During this week’s Sunday Angelus, Pope Francis spoke not from the window of the Apostolic Palace but via livestream from... Read more

The road leading from checkpoint 300, one of the main entrances to Bethlehem, to the city is completely deserted. Since Oct. 7, when the war broke out, the gate has been closed. Nov. 18, 2023.

PHOTOS: Christmas celebrations canceled in Bethlehem in the midst of war

Nov 26, 2023

By Marinella Bandini

The patriarchs and leaders of the Churches in Jerusalem have urged the faithful to focus on the spiritual meaning of... Read more

Pope Francis meets with relatives of Palestinians living in Gaza on Nov. 22, 2023.

Pope Francis meets with relatives of Palestinians living in Gaza

Nov 22, 2023

By Almudena Martínez-Bordiú

The pope’s meeting with families of Palestinians in Gaza took place on the same day he met wth relatives of... Read more

Pope Francis meets with families of the hostages taken by Hamas on Nov. 22, 2023.

Pope Francis meets with families of Israeli hostages being held in Gaza

Nov 22, 2023

By Courtney Mares

Pope Francis’ meetings with the Israeli and Palestinian delegations occurred as news emerged that a four-day cease-fire agreement had been... Read more

Weekday Mass is celebrated in the Church of Sts. Simeon and Anne in Jerusalem, where the Hebrew-speaking Catholic community (keilla) gathers together.

‘A battle inside us’: Hebrew Catholics in the Holy Land wrestle with challenges of war

Nov 19, 2023

By Marinella Bandini

The Israel-Hamas war has brought challenges to Hebrew Catholics in Israel, but the diverse and vibrant community holds on to... Read more

Pope Francis invoke the Virgin Mary as the Queen of Peace and Mother of Mercy at a prayer vigil for peace in St. Peter's Basilica, Friday, Oct. 27, 2023.

Pope Francis to meet with families of Israeli hostages and Palestinians with relatives in Gaza

Nov 18, 2023

By Courtney Mares

A Vatican spokesman said that with these meetings, Pope Francis wants to show his spiritual closeness to the suffering of... Read more

A woman sits with a child by drying laundry outside a classroom at a school run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on Nov. 14, 2023, where internally displaced Palestinians have taken refuge amid ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Catholic Relief Services calls for ‘immediate cessation of violence’ in Gaza to allow aid

Nov 16, 2023

By Daniel Payne

CRS is supporting four churches in Gaza where “they are running out of food, running out of water, and are... Read more

Archbishop Timothy Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, speaks at the USCCB fall plenary assembly Nov. 14, 2023.

USCCB president urges evangelization amid wars and challenges facing Church

Nov 14, 2023

By Peter Pinedo

Archbishop Timothy Broglio’s remarks opened the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ annual fall meeting in Baltimore on Tuesday. Read more

Vandalized tombstones are seen at the Jewish Mount Carmel Cemetery, Feb. 26, 2017, in Philadelphia.

Antisemitic incidents in U.S. up by more than 300% since Israel-Hamas war, study says

Nov 13, 2023

By Daniel Payne

The Anti-Defamation League shared a map plotting the antisemitic incidents throughout the U.S., with an average of at least two... Read more

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Mother of Israeli hostage thanks Pope Francis for his efforts to free captives in Gaza

Nov 10, 2023

By Joe Bukuras

“Holy Father, thank you for taking the time to try to help us free the 240 human beings who are... Read more

Archbishop Bashar Warda of Erbil in Iraq.

Iraqi archbishop fears war in Holy Land could spread to entire region

Nov 9, 2023

By Andrés Henríquez

Chaldean Catholic Archbishop Bashar Warda fears a possible escalation in the conflict will end up unleashing a wave of migration... Read more

Catholics in Jerusalem gather on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023, for a prayer vigil to implore from God the gift of peace for their land.

PHOTOS: Catholics gather in Jerusalem for a prayer vigil for peace

Nov 9, 2023

By Marinella Bandini

The event took place at the Terra Sancta High School of the Custody of the Holy Land, located in the... Read more

Rashida Tlaib, a Democratic representative from Michigan and the sole Palestinian-American member of Congress, addressed a demonstration at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023, to show her support for the Palestinian cause.

Congress censures Rep. Rashida Tlaib for ‘calling for the destruction’ of Israel

Nov 8, 2023

By Peter Pinedo

The resolution to censure Rep. Rashida Tlaib passed in a 234-188 vote, with 22 Democrats joining nearly all Republicans voting... Read more

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem.

Latin patriarch of Jerusalem asks for donations in face of suffering, hatred in Holy Land

Nov 7, 2023

By Andrés Henríquez

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa explained that it is “charity and prayer” that have animated the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem “in times... Read more

Pope Francis waves from a window of the Apostolic Palace during his weekly Sunday address and Angelus on Oct. 8, 2023. He spoke about the importance of having gratitude for the gifts one has received, especially the gifts of life and faith from God.

Pope Francis speaks with president of Iran about Israel-Hamas war

The Vatican has limited itself to confirming that the call took place at the request of the president of Iran,... Read more

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, imparts the blessing in front of the aedicule of the Holy Sepulcher on Friday, Oct. 27, 2023, where Jesus’ tomb is venerated. Here ends the Way of the Cross that the Franciscan friars celebrate every Friday.

Jerusalem patriarch Cardinal Pizzaballa: The Lord ‘wants me to bring his grace to this place’

Nov 3, 2023

By Marinella Bandini

“We do not pray for those who are right or wrong. We pray for those who are at war,” Jerusalem... Read more

Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, chair of the USCCB religious liberty committee.

Cardinal Dolan condemns religious hatred, urges people to ‘stand courageously for peace’

Nov 2, 2023

By Daniel Payne

New York Archbishop Cardinal Timothy Dolan this week condemned what he said were “outbreaks of religious hatred” in the United... Read more

Children sit together around a boy cooking instant noodles on a fire in a makeshift oven from a recycled barrel in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on Oct. 31, 2023, amid ongoing battles between Israel and Hamas.

UNICEF director warns of looming ‘catastrophe’ in Gaza as water supplies dwindle

Oct 31, 2023

By Daniel Payne

The director warned this week of a looming humanitarian disaster in Gaza as clean drinking water supplies reportedly dwindle to... Read more