Catholic Church in Israel explained

The Catholic Church in Israel is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, in full communion with the Holy See in Rome. The Catholic Church in Israel is divided into three main jurisdictions: the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land, and the Salesian Mission. Each of these jurisdictions has its own responsibilities and areas of operation.

A number of institutions and organizations serve the Catholic community. The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem is the main Catholic institution in Israel, and it is responsible for the pastoral care of Catholics in Israel, the Palestinian territories, and Jordan. The patriarchate has a number of parishes, schools, and hospitals in the region, and it also operates the Terra Sancta Museum in Jerusalem, which showcases the history and culture of the Holy Land.

The Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land is a Catholic religious order that is responsible for the care of the holy shrines in the Holy Land, such as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. The Salesian Mission is another Catholic religious order that operates in Israel, particularly in the area of education and youth ministry.

In addition to these institutions, there are a number of Catholic organizations and charities that operate in Israel, such as the Catholic Near East Welfare Association, which provides humanitarian assistance to Christians and other minority communities in the Middle East, and the Catholic Relief Services, which works on issues such as poverty, education and health.

Overview

At the start of the 21st century there were approximately 200,000 Christians in Israel[1] and the Palestinian territories,[2] representing about 1.5% of the total population. The largest Catholic Churches included 64,400 Greek Melkite Catholics, 32,200 Latin Catholics, and 11,270 Maronite Catholics.[3] [4] By 2020, Catholics made up 1.27% of the population,[5] although some estimates were more than twice that.

Jurisdictions of seven of the Catholic Churches overlap in Israel: the Armenian, Chaldean, Greek Melkite, Latin (Roman), Maronite, and Syriac. The Coptic Catholic patriarchate also has representation in Israel and the Palestinian territories, as does the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land, the Territorial Prelature of the Notre Dame Center of Jerusalem, and the Personal prelature of Opus Dei, with jurisdictional presence. The Holy See is represented by the Apostolic Nuncio to Israel and the Apostolic Delegate in Jerusalem for Palestine.[6] [7]

About 85% of the Catholics in Israel and the Palestinian territories are Arabic-speaking. In addition to a handful of chaplaincies for expatriate clergy, pilgrims, and workers, there is also a vicariate within the Latin Patriarchate ministering to Hebrew Catholics, i.e., converts to Catholicism of Jewish descent, or Hebrew-speaking Catholics born to immigrant workers, often from the Philippines.[8]

Local jurisdictions

Dioceses

Particular jurisdictions

Parishes and communities

There are currently 103 Catholic parishes in Israel and the Palestinian Territories:

There are additionally 8 language chaplaincies and 7 ethnic pastoral centers within the Latin Patriarchate:

Representatives of the Holy See

See main article: Holy See–Israel relations and Holy See–Palestine relations. The Holy See is currently represented by an Apostolic Nuncio to Israel and an Apostolic Delegate in Jerusalem and Palestine. Since 1994, the same person serves in both offices, and also serves as Nuncio to Cyprus. Since 3 June 2021, Adolfo Tito Yllana has served in both offices.[14]

In June 1762, a diplomatic relationship was established in Ottoman Syria, which also included the region of Palestine.[15]

In March 1929, the diplomatic brief for British Palestine was attached to the Delegate to Cairo.

On 11 February 1948, with the Papal brief Supreme Pastoris, Pope Pius XII erected the Apostolic Delegation in Jerusalem and Palestine, Transjordan and Cyprus.[16]

On 30 December 1993, the Holy See and the State of Israel signed the Fundamental Agreement Between the Holy See and the State of Israel, the first agreement between the two States, and they formally established diplomatic relations in March 1994. The Holy See established the Apostolic Nuncio to Israel.[17]

Supra-diocesan structures

Episcopal conferences

The Assembly of the Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land was established in 1992 at the initiative of the Apostolic Delegate in Jerusalem to foster unity within the Catholic Churches of the Holy Land.

The regional episcopal conference for the Latin bishops is the Conference of the Latin Bishops of the Arab Regions (CELRA), established in 1967.

Ecumenical participation

The Middle East Council of Churches represents 14 million Christians in the Middle East, covering 14 countries and including representatives from 27 churches or jurisdictions (3 Oriental Orthodox, 4 Eastern Orthodox, 7 Catholic, and 13 Protestant/Evangelical).

The Heads of Churches in Jerusalem[18] is a gathering of the patriarchs and other ordinaries of 13 of the local Christian churches in Jerusalem, including Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Eastern Catholic, Latin Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran churches.

Religious institutes

In 2020, there were 1,310 members of religious orders and institutes of consecrated life in Israel and the Palestinian territories.[19]

The oldest of these is the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land, established as a province in 1217.

They are represented by the Committee of the Religious Men of the Holy Land[20] and the Union of Religious Superiors of Women in the Holy Land.[21]

Male religious

There are 440 male religious, representing the following congregations:

Female religious

There are 870 female religious, from the following congregations:

Other Institutes of Consecrated Life

There are 145 members of other institutes of consecrated life:

Lay organizations and institutes

Catholic scouting and youth ministry

Lay ecclesial movements

Medical and social services

There are:

Military and hospitaller orders

Universities and educational institutes

There are, additionally, 71 primary and secondary schools

Pilgrimage

Pilgrimage services

Shrines and holy sites

Pilgrimage centers in Jerusalem

Pilgrim's decorations

Popes, saints, martyrs

Saints and Martyrs

Unnamed martyrs

Popes

The Popes who were born in, or first ministered in, the Holy Land:

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Statistical Abstract of Israel 2010. Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics. 2015-10-31. https://web.archive.org/web/20150926001429/http://www1.cbs.gov.il/reader/shnaton/templ_shnaton_e.html?num_tab=st02_02&CYear=2010. 2015-09-26. dead.
  2. Web site: The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. 16 May 2023 .
  3. Book: Bailey. Betty Jane. Bailey. J. Martin. Who are the Christians in the Middle East?. 2003. Eerdmans. Grand Rapids. 0802810209. 150–158. registration.
  4. Book: Collings. Rania Al Qass. Kassis. Rifat Odeh. Raheb. Mitri. Palestinian Christians: Facts, Figures and Trends. 2008. Diyar Consortium. Bethlehem. 6–12.
  5. https://thearda.com/world-religion/national-profiles?REGION=0&u=113c&u=23r The ARDA website, retrieved 2023-08-28
  6. https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2021-06/pope-appointment-yilana-nuncio-israel-cyprus-jerusalem-palestine.html Vatican New website, article dated June 3, 2021
  7. https://www.timesofisrael.com/pope-appoints-new-vatican-ambassador-to-israel/ Times Of Israel website, article dated Sept 13, 2017
  8. Web site: Hebrew-Speaking Christians. Saint James Vicariate for Hebrew Christians.
  9. Web site: Maronite Exarchate of Jerusalem. MaroniteJerusalem. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20151208054722/http://www.maronitejerusalem.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=18&Itemid=39. 2015-12-08.
  10. Web site: Armenian Exarchate of Jerusalem. Catholic Church in the Holy Land.
  11. Web site: Syriac Exarchate of Jerusalem. Catholic Church in the Holy Land.
  12. Web site: Chaldean Exarchate. Catholic Church in the Holy Land.
  13. Web site: Opus Dei. Catholic Church in the Holy Land.
  14. 3 June 2021. Holy See Press Office . 3 June 2021 . it . Rinunce e nomine, 03.06.2021 .
  15. Web site: Nunciature to Syria. Catholic-hierarchy.org.
  16. Web site: Apostolic Delegate. Catholic Church in the Holy Land.
  17. Web site: Fundamental Accord. The Holy See.
  18. Web site: Heads of Churches in Jerusalem. Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum.
  19. https://www.catholicsandcultures.org/israel Catholics and Culture website, retrieved 2023-08-28
  20. Web site: Religious Men. Catholic Church in the Holy Land.
  21. Web site: Religious Women. Catholic Church in the Holy Land.
  22. Web site: Home Page. Christian Information Center. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20151108175203/http://www.cicts.org/?id=344. 2015-11-08.
  23. Web site: Episcopal Commission for Christian Pilgrimages. Catholic Church of the Holy Land.
  24. Web site: Pilgrims' Office. Basilica of the Annunciation. 2015-10-31. https://web.archive.org/web/20150811211922/http://basilicanazareth.org/office.php. 2015-08-11. dead.
  25. Web site: Pilgrimages. Latin Patriarchate. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304211624/http://www.lpjp.org/programs.html. 2016-03-04.
  26. Web site: Pilgrim's Shell. Northwest Lieutenancy, EOHSJ.
  27. Web site: Piolgrim's Cross . Custody of the Holy Land . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20151117032345/http://www.custodia.org/default.asp?id=1165 . 2015-11-17 .

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