Three prominent Palestinian churchmen are visiting Ireland this week
to highlight the situation of Christians in the Israeli-occupied
territories to Irish Church and political figures.
Jerusalem clerics Archbishop Theodosius Hanna of the Greek Orthodox
Church and Monsignor Manuel Musallam of the Latin Catholic Church
Jerusalem, as well as Constantine Dabbagh of the Middle East Council of
Churches will spend the week here on a trip organised by Sadaka, the
Ireland Palestine Alliance.
The purpose of the visit is to raise the plight of the dwindling
number of Christians in the occupied parts of Palestine and the effects
of Israel’s occupation on Christians, particularly in Bethlehem as
Christmas approaches.
Alan Lonergan of Sadaka, who is a main organiser of the visit, was
involved in a siege-breaking boat journey to Gaza two years ago said he
had met Fr.Musallam in Gaza where he was then working as the parish
priest of the city’s Holy Family parish.
The itinerary of the three church figures includes meetings with
President Mary McAleese, Minister for Foreign Micheál Martin and the
Lord Mayor of Dublin, and an address to the Joint Oireachtas Committee
on Foreign Affairs.
Over the weekend, the delegation travels to Mayo for a reception from
Mayo County Council, a visit to the Michael Davitt Museum in Straide
and an ecumenical service in Ballintubber Abbey next Sunday of Hope for
Peace in the Holy Land.
SIC: CIN/IE