Visit of the Holy Land Coordination

The Coordination brings together bishops from across Europe and North America, representing Episcopal Conferences of England and Wales, Italy, Germany, the Nordic countries, Ireland, France, the United States, Scotland, Canada, and Spain, together with delegates from COMECE, the Anglican Church, and Catholic organizations serving the region. Their days are shaped by prayer, the celebration of the Eucharist, meetings with the local Church, and encounters with communities who persevere in faith amid complex realities.

A Visit Marked by Listening and Encounter

During their program, the bishops meet with many expressions of the local Church, including the Latin Patriarch, religious communities, and organizations working for dialogue and justice. Notably, the Coordination dedicates part of its program to meeting the Saint James Vicariate and learning about our pastoral mission among Hebrew-speaking and Russian-speaking Catholics in Israel.

It was in this context that our Vicariate welcomed the delegation yesterday.

Presenting the Mission of Our Communities

Fr. Piotr Zelazko, our Vicar, together with Ms. Monica Faes and Ms. Danielle Maman, had the opportunity to present in depth the work of our communities across the country. Their presentation highlighted:

Our Local Communities

They described the unique character of our Vicariate, made up of Hebrew-speaking and Russian-speaking Catholics who live their faith within the linguistic, cultural, and social reality of Israeli society. Our communities are small but vibrant, rooted in prayer, pastoral closeness, and the everyday witness of Christian life.

Work with Children and Youth

Ms. Faes and Ms. Maman shared the many initiatives offered for children and young people, especially in a context where Christian minors often grow up surrounded almost entirely by peers of other faiths. Programmes in catechesis, identity formation, and community-building help our young people grow confidently as Christians, integrated into the society around them yet deeply connected to their Catholic roots.

Our Youth Festival

The bishops also heard about the annual Youth Festival, one of our most cherished events. It brings together young people from our communities and arabic-speaking parishes for a day of prayer, friendship, music, cultural expression, and joyful Christian witness. The festival expresses the unity of our diverse communities and strengthens the bonds that sustain us throughout the year.

Strengthening Bonds of Solidarity

The visit of the Holy Land Coordination was a moment of encouragement. Their presence reminds us that the Christians of the Holy Land - often called the Living Stones - are not forgotten by the universal Church. Their commitment to listening and accompaniment reflects the very purpose of the Coordination: to stand with local Christians and bring their voices to the wider world.

We are grateful for their visit, for their prayers, and for their genuine interest in our mission. May their time in the Holy Land continue to be a pilgrimage of encounter, hope, and renewed solidarity.

Pictures by Marcin Mazur.

EPISCOPAL MEMBERS 2026

Rt Rev Nicholas Hudson

Bishop of Plymouth, England & Wales

Chair of the International Affairs Department

Moderator of the Holy Land Coordination

Rt Rev Nicolò Anselmi

Bishop of Rimini, Italy

Most Rev Udo Bentz

Archbishop of Paderborn, Germany

Rt Rev Peter Burcher

Bishop Emeritus of Reykjavik

Representing Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland

Rt Rev James Curry

Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster, England & Wales

International Affairs Department

Rt Rev Paul Dempsey

Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin, Ireland

Rt Rev Michel Dubost, C.I.M.

Bishop Emeritus of Evry-Corbeil-Essonnes, France

Most Rev Antoine Hérouard

Archbishop of Dijon, France

Co-President of Justice & Peace Europe

Vice-President of COMECE

Rt Rev Joseph Kopacz

Bishop of Jackson, United States of America

International Justice & Peace Department

Most Rev William Nolan

Archbishop of Glasgow, Scotland

Justice & Peace Scotland

Rt Rev Christian Rodembourg, M.S.A.

Bishop of Saint-Hyacinthe, Canada

Most Rev Joan Enric Vives Sicilia

Bishop Emeritus of Urgell, Spain

Rt Rev Abdallah Elias Zaidan

Bishop of the Maronite Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon, USA

Chair of the Committee on International Justice & Peace

HOLY LAND CO‑ORDINATION SECRETARIAT

Rev Canon Mark Madden

Secretary of the Holy Land Coordination

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England & Wales

Mr James Abbott

Director of Communications

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England & Wales

Ms Liga Pare

Policy & Research Analyst, International Affairs Department

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England & Wales

Mr Marcin Mazur

Catholic Communications Network

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England & Wales

EPISCOPAL CONFERENCES & AGENCIES

Mr Nadim Ammann

Archdiocese of Cologne, Germany

Rev Fr José Gabriel Vera Beorlegui

Director of Social Communications

Catholic Episcopal Conference of Spain

Mr Gary Carville

Executive Secretary for Social Issues and International Affairs

Episcopal Conference of Ireland

Ms Anne‑Marie Clements

Catholic Social Teaching Officer

Justice & Peace Scotland

Mr Kyle Cristofalo

Senior Director of Advocacy & Government Relations

Churches for Middle East Peace, USA

Mr Johannes Duwe

Secretariat of the German Bishops’ Conference

Mr Seán Farrell

Chief Executive Officer, Trócaire (Ireland)

Mr Matthias Kopp

Press & Media Officer

Episcopal Conference of Germany

Ms Andrea Krogmann

Catholic News Agency, Germany

Rev Fr Paul Lansu

Moderator of the Israel/Palestine Working Group

Pax Christi International, Belgium

Mr Pierre Lecaulle

Country Director, L’Œuvre d’Orient, France

Mr Christopher Ljungquist

Director of International Justice & Peace, USCCB

United States of America

Mr Brendan Metcalfe

Chief Executive Officer, Friends of the Holy Land

United Kingdom

His Excellency John McNally

The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem

Lieutenant of England & Wales

Mr Bill O’Keefe

Executive Vice President, Catholic Relief Services

United States of America

Dr Charles Reed

Foreign Policy Advisor

The Church of England

Mr Daniele Rocchi

CEI Media Office, Italy

Dr Matthias Vogt

German Association of the Holy Land

Germany