Holy Land: “Living space for Christians is getting smaller and smaller”

The rector of a seminary in the West Bank warns of growing pressure.

The Christian presence in the Holy Land is under threat, according to Father Bernard Poggi, rector of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem’s seminary in Beit Jala, near Bethlehem. At the same time, hope among Christians remains strong and the communities are still vibrant.

Fr. Poggi made these remarks during a Day of Prayer for Christians in the Middle East, organized by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) Germany, in Augsburg on September 13.

Violence and intimidation, a lack of jobs, restrictions on freedom of movement, and economic hardship are increasingly depriving Christians of the possibility of remaining in their homeland.

“Nobody has to explicitly order Christians to leave the country,” Poggi said. Rather, it is the cumulative effect of many different pressures that makes staying increasingly difficult: roadblocks, inaccessible farmland, a lack of work permits, intimidation, and a lack of prospects for the future.

“When a family eventually concludes that the only way to secure a safe future for their children is to leave, then emigration is no longer a truly free decision.”

Settler violence increasing

Poggi expressed particular concern about the increase in violence against Christians by Jewish settlers. Among other examples, he referred to Taybeh, the last entirely Christian village in the West Bank. “When fields, vehicles, homes, or churches are attacked, the consequence is always the same: it becomes more difficult for Christians to remain in their homeland, and the space in which they can live becomes increasingly restricted.”

Christians also face hostility in Jerusalem. Poggi described a visit there with young seminarians from the Palestinian Territories. For many of them, it was the first time they had been able to visit the holy sites in Jerusalem, just a few miles away.

As the group was walking from Mount Zion, children approached them and spat at the seminarians because of the crosses they were visibly wearing.

The young seminarians were shocked, but rather than dwell on the hostility, Poggi then led them to the Western Wall, the holiest site in the world for Jews, seeking to highlight prayer as something that unites religions.

Unemployment drives Christians to emigrate

The economic situation is also one of the greatest threats to the Christian presence, Poggi explained. The October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks and the war in Gaza had a very negative effect, leading to the collapse of the pilgrimage and tourism sector in the Bethlehem area, which has traditionally employed many Christians. Tour guides, shopkeepers, craftsmen, hotel employees, and young university graduates are among those affected.

Restrictions on work permits and freedom of movement compound the problem. For the small Christian communities, these restrictions are particularly significant, since Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and other locations are closely connected economically, ecclesiastically, and through family ties.

Every Christian family counts

The situation in the Gaza Strip is also dramatic. According to local figures, before the outbreak of the war, the Christian community numbered around 1,000 people; by the end of 2025, only 541 remained. “In a community of this size, every family counts,” Poggi emphasized.

Nevertheless, the Catholic parish of the Holy Family and the Greek Orthodox parish of St. Porphyrius continue to serve as places of refuge, helping people regardless of their religion.

Poggi appealed to ACN benefactors not only to provide immediate assistance, but above all to strengthen the structures that enable Christians to build a lasting future in their homeland: schools, parishes, housing, and clinics. Salaries, scholarships, and assistance with living costs are equally important.

Among ACN’s projects in the Holy Land is a job creation program, and training and skill-building for teachers, seminarians, priests, religious, and other community leaders.

“A job enables a family to stay,” Poggi said, urging that these projects continue.

Despite the difficult situation, hope remains alive. The Christian community in the Holy Land is small and vulnerable, but it continues to keep schools, clinics, and holy sites open, while resisting giving in to hatred and despair.

“Please do not help us only to survive the next crisis,” Poggi appealed to ACN’s benefactors. “Help the Church so that the next generation can remain in the Holy Land.”

– Tobias Lehner