Cardinal Fernando Filoni, Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, returned recently from the Holy Land. The order is a charity that works through the Latin Patriarchate to support Christians and the institutions of the region.
After a recent visit to the Holy Land, Cardinal Filoni talks about the difficult situation of Christians in the region and the need for peace.
The cardinal spoke with I.Media to discuss the support of the Christian presence in this region torn apart by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the war that has been raging in the Gaza Strip for nearly two years.
October 7, 2025, will mark the second anniversary of the Hamas attack that killed more than a thousand people in Israel. The massive Israeli offensive that has followed has killed tens of thousands in the Palestinian enclave.
The Order of the Holy Sepulchre, founded by Pius IX in the mid-19th century, does not send direct aid. Rather, it always acts through the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, which is the direct interlocutor of the State of Israel and the Palestinian Authority, and of all local and international institutions.
Its support is essential for the survival of schools, hospitals, and various Christian institutions in the Holy Land. This includes the Gaza Strip, where the only parish provides assistance to Catholics as well as Orthodox and Muslim families.
Facing a financial crisis
Almost two years after the start of the Gaza war, how are Christian communities in the Holy Land coping? What resources do they have?
Cardinal Fernando Filoni: I think that anyone visiting the Holy Land today will notice a difference compared to previous trips. The basilicas are empty; there’s no longer the same flow of pilgrims as before.
Many local Christians, and non-Christians too, make their living from activities related to pilgrimages: selling souvenirs and sacred objects, transportation, catering, etc. From an economic point of view, the crisis is therefore hitting Christian families and religious communities hard. They still have expenses, but they lack income.
But the problem isn’t only economic and administrative. Seeing all these empty churches poses a spiritual problem. However, I must say that for the few pilgrims who dare to come, it can be an opportunity to experience moments of great spirituality, in a much calmer atmosphere than in the past. Solitude provides an opportunity for deep meditation. This shows that good things can emerge from difficult situations.
Our communities are nevertheless in great difficulty, with a crisis of confidence about their future. During my last visit, while talking with local priests and religious leaders, I saw that the survival of families often depends on vouchers provided by the Latin Patriarchate to pay for basic goods.
This means that the Christian community around the world, through the aid provided by the Patriarchate, is supporting the presence of these families.
War never brings a solution
So this support for the Christian communities in the Holy Land remains a valuable tool for defending the prospect of future peace, even if it seems out of reach in the short term?
Cardinal Filoni: The news we receive is of great concern to us. War stirs up emotions, but it never brings a solution. The flame of hatred must be extinguished. The teaching that Jesus gave us is always to hope against all hope. Both Pope Leo and Pope Francis have continually called for peace, and we support this vision.
The Church believes that Israel has the right to exist and live in peace, just as the Palestinian people have every right to live in peace on their land. These realities must not be pitted against each other or mutually exclusive: they must be coordinated.
All forms of violence are unacceptable. One life is no more important than another. We therefore believe that dialogue must be resumed, but it doesn’t seem that everyone wants this.
Does the recognition of the State of Palestine by a considerable number of Western countries represent a positive opportunity for the resumption of dialogue?
Cardinal Filoni: Each state assesses the situation according to its own political vision, which it is not my place to comment on. But beyond that, recognition must come first and foremost from the two parties on the ground. I fear that recognition that doesn’t materialize at this level will not help the dialogue or lead to peace. In that case, I doubt that it will be well received by both parties.
A dwindling Christian presence
Do you still feel there is a love for their land on the part of the Christian communities in the Holy Land, or does emigration remain a strong temptation, especially for young people?
Cardinal Filoni: In reality, this problem concerns not only the Holy Land but the entire Middle East. Since the fall of the Ottoman Empire, millions of Christians have left the region. They once constituted between 20% and 22% of the region's population, compared to 1 or 2% today…
What happened to bring about this situation? First, we must remember the violence perpetrated against the Armenians, the Greeks, the Chaldeans... On October 19, Pope Leo XIV will canonize Archbishop Ignatius Maloyan, one of the victims of the great tragedy that was the Armenian genocide.
But the problem isn’t just war. The problem also comes from the states, from the laws of the country. If they make discriminatory laws that make Christians second-class citizens, if they write that the law is governed by Sharia law and not by fundamental human rights, how can Christians feel protected by these laws?
It also depends on the international community, which doesn’t always create a favorable environment. There’s a right to emigrate, but there’s also a right to remain on one's land.
For a century, we’ve seen a kind of continuous hemorrhage. These ancient Churches, which had their own culture and language and which gave so much to the world, cannot be forgotten. Some speak the language of Jesus in their liturgies, but we know that those who migrate lose the use of it.
When a family has children and they have no future, the question of whether to say arises. Some families have personally asked me what I would do if I had children and lived there ... I always notice an attachment to the land, whether in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, or the Holy Land. Our families love the Holy Land, but we must help them to actually live there.
“Do not be afraid”
On a spiritual level, how do you see the future of the Holy Land?
Cardinal Filoni: This is indeed a fundamental aspect. During my recent trip to the Holy Land, I thought a lot about Jesus' words to his disciples: “Little flock, do not be afraid!” What does that mean today? If we look at the history of the region, the small Christian community since the time of Jesus has always remained a minority, often persecuted and discriminated against: sometimes by the Jews, sometimes by the Romans, and then by the various powers that have exercised their authority over the region.
Christians have always been a little flock, right up to the present day. Attempts to make them a large flock, such as during the Crusades, have always failed. But Jesus invites the small flock that still cultivates love for the Holy Land today not to be discouraged, even if they feel like a clay pot facing an iron pot.
The Christian vision is not to conquer power but to defend the fundamental rights of the person. We don’t ask for specific laws or special recognition, but simply the guarantee that Christians can live alongside the people of Israel. We share common roots with them, and they are our “elder brothers,” as Benedict XVI liked to say.
And we also want Christians to be able to live with the Palestinians, especially since many of them are themselves Palestinian. It’s possible to live together with the Muslim world, when there is respect for diversity.
The Christian vision is therefore not that of one majority prevailing over another, but simply that of a small flock contributing to the benefit of all: Christians, Jews, and Muslims. It’s not a question of competing with anyone, but of ensuring that Jesus' words, “Do not be afraid,” can lead each Christian community to coexist with the rest of the population.
