The Voice of the suffering in Middle East

The parish priest of Gaza has said that the re-opening of a Catholic school in the devastated territory offers “a sign of hope” for people who have very little to be hopeful about. Holy Family School in the old city of Gaza re-opened this morning for approximately 1,000 students, serving the local Holy Family Catholic Parish, but also the wider community, with the majority of the students being Muslim. Fr. Gabriel Romanelli said that he hoped the re-opening of the ...

Christian schools in Jerusalem announced the suspension of classes on September 1, 2026, due to the non-renewal of entry permits into the city for dozens of members of their staff. The strike was supposed to be indefinite, but was called off after one day, after Israeli authorities renewed some of the permits. In a statement sent to Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), the headmaster of the Collège des Frères in Jerusalem warns of the consequences of this situation ...

The Christian community has seen discrimination rise but remains firm in the faith in the land of Christianity’s roots. The situation in Syria remains unstable almost two years after the fall of Bashar al-Assad and the rise to power of President Ahmed al-Sharaa. During a recent visit to Spain, Fr. Fadi Azar, a Franciscan from the Custody of the Holy Land who is originally from Syria and is currently serving in Aleppo, spoke to Aid to the Church in Need ...

In Lebanon today, organizing a few days of activities for children and young people has become an obstacle course. But for the local Church, these camps are more necessary than ever. This summer, the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) is funding 61 camps in different regions of Lebanon, benefiting 7,465 children and young people. Local dioceses, parishes, and Church movements are responsible for organizing the camps and accompanying the participants. The initiative forms part of an ...

Baghdad offering incentives for Christians to return to Iraq. Al-Zaidi’s words will be discussed at the upcoming meeting of Catholic bishops. Iraq’s Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has declared the return of Christian families a national priority and pledged to include returnees in a government program that is offering 1 million residential plots. “The return of Christians who were forced to leave the country due to the difficult circumstances Iraq endured is a national and government priority. Iraq’s true strength lies ...

Blessed Elias Hoyek, founder of the Maronite Sisters of the Holy Family, a project partner of Aid to the Church in Need, is considered father of “Greater Lebanon.” On Saturday, July 25, thousands of faithful will gather in Dimane, the summer residence of the Maronite Patriarch, to celebrate the beatification of Elias Hoyek, founder of the Maronite Sisters of the Holy Family in 1895. Hoyek, who was Patriarch of the Maronite Church from 1898 to 1931, continues to be one ...