Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, visited the Christian community of Taybeh in the West Bank on August 15, where he reaffirmed the Church’s commitment to the continued presence of Christians in the Holy Land and urged them to hold on to hope amid the difficulties facing the town. “We will continue to do everything within our reach to preserve the ecclesial presence here, at every level in the Holy Land,” he said during the Mass for the Solemnity of the Assumption.
The visit comes after an Israeli military order issued in July declared the Taybeh and Rimon area a closed military zone, restricting access for Israelis and foreigners. The measure affects urbanized sectors, agricultural land, and religious and heritage sites, raising concerns about its impact on pilgrims, visitors, and others traveling to Taybeh. The town, located in the Ramallah region and traditionally identified with the Ephraim mentioned in the Gospel of John, is one of the main historic centers of Palestinian Christian presence.
“The power of evil is not absolute”
Pizzaballa presided over the Mass of the Assumption at the Latin Church of Christ the Redeemer, accompanied by the parish priest, Fr. Bashar Fawadleh, and Fr. Davide Meli.
During the homily, the Patriarch focused on the image of the woman and the dragon in the Book of Revelation. Drawing from that passage, he maintained that evil, despite the force with which it can manifest itself, lacks absolute power.
The woman, he explained, represents the Church and, in a particular way, the Virgin Mary. Pizzaballa presented the Assumption as “a fruit of the Resurrection” and noted that Mary teaches us to view reality through faith, without limiting ourselves to human calculations.
The Patriarch applied this reflection to the situation of Taybeh’s Christians. “I may not have answers on a human and worldly level, but I believe in God. And I am certain that, in Him, we can continue to give birth to life, even here in Taybeh,” he said.
Preserving the Christian presence in the Holy Land
Pizzaballa assured that the Patriarchate will continue working to sustain the Christian presence in the town, but noted that this continuity does not depend solely on material conditions. In his view, it also requires protecting the community internally from fear and despair.
“We must also learn from the Virgin Mary to guard our hearts, because this situation can contaminate them. And if our hearts become contaminated, the ‘dragon’ has won,” he warned.
The Patriarch insisted that Christians must maintain their presence and defend their right to remain in their land without allowing circumstances to destroy their hope.
“We want to continue being a community that gives birth to life, without giving up or abandoning our rights, our right to life. So be courageous. Do not be afraid,” he said.
Pizzaballa also explained that he regularly follows the situation in Taybeh through communications from Fr. Bashar and thanked the parish priest for his pastoral work. He added, however, that monitoring events must be accompanied by a concrete presence of the Church alongside the community.
“Continuing to be a Christian voice”
During his visit, Pizzaballa noted that Taybeh’s situation is gaining greater attention outside the town and highlighted the importance of its residents’ witness.
“Your example is important, so that we may continue to be a Christian voice amid this very complex situation,” he said.
At the conclusion of the celebration, the Patriarch asked for the Virgin’s intercession for the families and mothers of Taybeh and expressed his hope that the town would remain “a place and a source of joy and life.”
After the Mass, Pizzaballa met with the faithful and spoke with members of the community, reiterating the Patriarchate’s closeness to Taybeh’s Christians and its commitment to the continuity of their presence in the Holy Land.