Scottish Bishop calls on Scots to visit Holy Land

Bishop Nolan meets Christian women in Haifa

Source: SCMO

A Scottish Bishop has called on Scots to visit the Holy Land in order to help beleaguered Christian communities there who are dependent on pilgrims and tourism. Bishop William Nolan, the Bishop of Galloway is currently visiting the Holy Land as part of an international delegation in support of Christians in Israel and Palestine.

The 'Holy Land Coordination' delegation is made up of Bishops from across Europe, North America and South Africa, who have made an annual pastoral visit to Israel and Palestine for the past 20 years.

Speaking from City of Haifa Bishop Nolan said: "In many parts of the Holy Land the indigenous Christian populations are declining or at risk. Many of them depend on pilgrims and tourism.

"I pray that Christians at home will consider visiting the land of Christ's birth and in so doing give their support to Christian communities here."

The Holy Land Coordination group's annual meeting is taking place from 12th-17th January. The meeting will be held in the City of Haifa, including visits to Christian hospitals, schools and villages. The bishops will also take part in Inter-faith encounters. The bishops visit Catholic communities and share in their Sunday liturgy, meeting with them. In difficult times, the visiting bishops have often heard pleas for more pilgrims to come from their home countries, and there has been a concerted and successful effort on the part of bishops' conferences to encourage pilgrimages, assisting many whose livelihoods depend on pilgrims.

The bishops also speak at a high-level to their own governments, parliamentarians, Israeli and Palestinian ambassadors and the media about a wide range of issues affecting the lives of Christians. In line with the approach the Holy See adopts everywhere else, the bishops do not seek privileges for Christians, but dignity and justice for them and for others in similar conflicts.

See also: ICN 9 January 2019 - Bishops to visit Holy Land in support of local Christians
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