The Orthodox Church of Jerusalem is facing one of the most difficult periods in its history amid continuing conflicts across the Middle East, a deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the departure of Christian residents and growing concerns over the historic status quo of the region’s holy sites. Jerusalem Patriarch Theophilos III raised these concerns in an interview with the Greek newspaper To Vima.

“People are exhausted by war,” the Patriarch said, describing the situation facing local Christian communities. He characterized the region’s reality as a “continuous cycle of death, destruction and terrible human suffering.”

Particular concern was expressed over the plight of children in the Gaza Strip, including those suffering from cancer. Together with representatives of other Christian churches in Jerusalem, Patriarch Theophilos has called for these children to receive access to essential medical treatment and for the establishment of a humanitarian corridor to facilitate their evacuation for medical care.

Another major concern highlighted by the Patriarch is the gradual decline of the Christian population across the region.

According to Theophilos, nearly three years of severely disrupted pilgrimages have had devastating consequences for local Christian businesses. Many enterprises have been forced to close, while entire families have had little choice but to leave their homes.

The situation has been compounded by economic hardship, movement restrictions and attacks by radical settlers. The Patriarch specifically referred to incidents affecting Taybeh, a predominantly Christian town in the West Bank.

He urged the international community to pay greater attention to the challenges facing Christians in the Middle East and provide practical support to enable them to remain on the land of their ancestors.

The emigration of younger generations is an additional source of concern. Economic uncertainty, political tensions and limited prospects for the future are encouraging young Christians to seek opportunities abroad, further weakening the region's historic Christian communities.

Patriarch Theophilos described local Christians as the “living stones” of the Holy Land, emphasizing that preserving Christianity in the region requires more than protecting religious buildings and historic monuments. It also means supporting the people who have maintained their presence there for generations.

Education is one of the key instruments through which the Jerusalem Patriarchate seeks to address these challenges. The Church continues to develop its network of schools and educational initiatives in Jordan, including the International Orthodox University at the site of Christ's Baptism.

These projects aim to provide young people with professional qualifications, employment opportunities and the means to build a future in their homeland rather than being forced to emigrate.

The Patriarch stressed that the Church's educational mission extends beyond economic development. It also seeks to foster social responsibility, mutual respect and a commitment to peaceful coexistence among different communities.

Concluding the interview, Patriarch Theophilos emphasized that the mission of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem extends beyond its traditional religious responsibilities to include humanitarian assistance and diplomatic engagement.

He said the Church seeks to avoid becoming involved in political confrontations, focusing instead on helping people affected by conflict and maintaining dialogue between different peoples and religious communities.

The Patriarch's remarks underline the challenges facing Christianity in the birthplace of the faith, where centuries-old communities are increasingly affected by conflict, displacement and economic uncertainty.

Preserving the Christian presence in the Holy Land, he suggested, ultimately depends not only on safeguarding its sacred sites but also on ensuring that the people who have lived there for generations have the opportunity to remain.