Holy Land bishops meet in Bethlehem

The ordinaries held their bi-annual meeting in Bethlehem and the discussions were chaired by Greek Catholic Archbishop of Galilee George Bacouni with the participation of the two Nuncios who are responsible for Cyprus, Israel, Palestine and Jordan, the Latin Apostolic Administration, Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa and the four Vicars of the Patriarchate, Bishops William Shomali and Boulos Marcuzzo and Fathers David Neuhaus and Jerzy Kraj, Emeritus Patriarch Michel Sabbah and Emeritus Bishop Kamal Bathish, the Maronite Archbishops of Cyprus, Joseph Soueif and of the Holy Land, Moussa El-Hage, the Greek Catholic Archbishop of Jerusalem, Joseph Zreyi, Emeritus Bishop Boutros Mouallem, the Franciscan Custos of the Holy Land, Father Francesco Patton, a representative of the Syrian Catholic Church, Father Efrem and representatives of the men and women religious.

The meetings were focused on the Catholic schools and on the Catholic youth in the Holy Land. The Ordinaries also celebrated a solemn mass in Saint Catherine’s Church in order to mark the fourth anniversary of the pontificate of Pope Francis. During the break, the Ordinaries were able to visit the restored mosaics on the walls of the Basilica of the Nativity.