Catholic Church in Israel

Church of All Nations, Jerusalem

The Catholic Church in Israel and the Palestinian Territories is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, in full communion with the bishop of Rome.

Overview

The Catholic Church originates in the area that is now Israel and the Palestinian Territories, tracing its origins to the local Church of Jerusalem described in the Acts of the Apostles, formed by the earliest followers of Jesus of Nazareth, who was born in Bethlehem, lived in the Galilee, and was crucified in Jerusalem, where Christians believe he also resurrected.The Church of Jerusalem is considered the "mother church" of all Christianity.

Christianity's holiest shrine, the Church of the Resurrection, is located in Jerusalem, as are many of the sites associated with the life of Jesus and the earliest Christians.

There are approximately 200,000 Christians in Israel[1] and the Palestinian Territories,[2] representing about 1.5% of the total population. The largest Catholic Churches include 64,400 Greek Melkite Catholics, 32,200 Latin Catholics, and 11,270 Maronite Catholics.[3][4]

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 here. In addition, the Franciscan Custos of the Holy Land, the Territorial Prelature of the Notre Dame Center of Jerusalem, and the Personal Prelature of Opus Dei have jurisdictional presence in Israel and the Palestinian territories. The Holy See is represented by the Apostolic Nuncio in Jaffa-Tel Aviv for Israel and the Apostolic Delegate in Jerusalem for Palestine.

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., non-Arab converts to Catholicism of Hebrew descent, or Hebrew-speaking Catholics born to immigrant workers, often from the Philippines.[5]

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

Main article: Holy See–Palestine relations

The Holy See is currently represented by an Apostolic Nuncio to Israel and an Apostolic Delegate in Jerusalem of Palestine. At this time, the same person fulfills both offices, Archbishop Giuseppe Lazzarotto. He also serves as Nuncio to Cyprus.

In June 1762, a diplomatic relationship was established in Ottoman Syria, including the region of Palestine.[11]

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 of Palestine, Transjordan and Cyprus.[12]

In December 1993, the Holy See and the State of Israel formally established diplomatic relations, establishing the presence of the Apostolic Nuncio to Israel.[13]

Supra-diocesan structures

Episcopal conferences

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

The regional episcopal conference for the Latin bishops is the Conference of the Latin Bishops of the Arab Regions (CELRA), which was 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[14] 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

There are 1,764 members of religious orders and institutes of consecrated life in Israel and the Palestinian Territories.

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

They are represented by the Committee of the Religious Men of the Holy Land[15] and the Union of Religious Superiors of Women in the Holy Land.[16]

Male Religious

There are 540 male religious, representing the following congregations:

Female Religious

There are 1079 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 hosptialler orders

Universities and educational institutes

There are, additionally, 71 primary and secondary schools

Pilgrimage

Pilgrimage services

Shrines and holy sites

Pilgrimage centers in Jerusalem

Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center

Pilgrimage centers in Bethlehem

Pilgrim's decorations

Popes, saints, martyrs

Saints and Martyrs

Unnamed martyrs

Popes

The Bishops of Rome who were born in, or first ministered in, the Holy Land:

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Statistical Abstract of Israel 2010". Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics.
  2. ↑ "The World Factbook". Central Intelligence Agency.
  3. ↑ Bailey, Betty Jane; Bailey, J. Martin (2003). Who are the Christians in the Middle East?. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans. pp. 150–158. ISBN 0802810209.
  4. ↑ Collings, Rania Al Qass; Kassis, Rifat Odeh; Raheb, Mitri (2008). Palestinian Christians: Facts, Figures and Trends. Bethlehem: Diyar Consortium. pp. 6–12.
  5. ↑ "Hebrew-Speaking Christians". Saint James Vicariate for Hebrew Christians.
  6. ↑ "Maronite Exarchate of Jerusalem". MaroniteJerusalem.
  7. ↑ "Armenian Exarchate of Jerusalem". Catholic Church in the Holy Land.
  8. ↑ "Syriac Exarchate of Jerusalem". Catholic Church in the Holy Land.
  9. ↑ "Chaldean Exarchate". Catholic Church in the Holy Land.
  10. ↑ "Opus Dei". Catholic Church in the Holy Land.
  11. ↑ "Nunciature to Syria". Catholic-hierarchy.org.
  12. ↑ "Apostolic Delegate". Catholic Church in the Holy Land.
  13. ↑ "Fundamental Accord". The Holy See.
  14. ↑ "Heads of Churches in Jerusalem". Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum.
  15. ↑ "Religious Men". Catholic Church in the Holy Land.
  16. ↑ "Religious Women". Catholic Church in the Holy Land.
  17. ↑ "Home Page". Christian Information Center.
  18. ↑ "Episcopal Commission for Christian Pilgrimages". Catholic Church of the Holy Land.
  19. ↑ "Pilgrims' Office". Basilica of the Annunciation.
  20. ↑ "Pilgrimages". Latin Patriarchate.
  21. ↑ "Pilgrim's Shell". Northwest Lieutenancy, EOHSJ.
  22. ↑ "Piolgrim's Cross". Custody of the Holy Land.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Thursday, December 24, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.