Living Stones: The Christian Ancestors of the Holy Land
A look into the forgotten Orthodox people and temples of Palestine before and after the Israeli occupation.
Palestinian Christians are often referred to as “living stones” of Christianity, with an ancient and deeply rooted connection to the birth of the Church in this land, dating back 2000 years. For many families, their ancestors have been in the Holy Land since its earliest days, while others migrated to this region in later centuries.
The west has failed to recognize that there are a faithful minority of Christians still worshipping in the midst of ongoing conflict between the Palestinians and the Jewish nation state. But it is crucial that these “living stones” are recognized as the true indigenous people of the Holy Land and not as mere recent converts or immigrants. In fact, they proudly hold the distinction of being the oldest Christian community in the world.
Throughout the 2000 years of Church history, it has been these Orthodox believers of Palestine who safeguarded the holiest Christian sites, and the entirety of Christendom owes them a debt of gratitude for their faithful stewardship.
While once a significant portion of the local population, Palestinian Christians now make up approximately 2% or less of the Palestinian population in the occupied territories. However, they may comprise as much as 10% of the Palestinian diaspora worldwide. The majority of Palestinian Christians belong to Orthodox churches - around 50% belonging to the Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem, one of the 15 churches of Eastern Orthodoxy. This community has also been known as the Arab Orthodox Christians.
Through the combined efforts of the native Palestinian Christians, Greeks, Russians and many other Christians from around the world have come to the Holy Land to preserve these sites and guard them with their lives.
The Church of the Ten Lepers aka Church of Saint George, Buquin (4th century)
According to Christian tradition, Burqin is the place in "the region between Samaria and Galilee" where the miracle from Luke 17:11–19 took place:
11 On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, 13 they called out, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14 When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were made clean. 15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. 16 He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? 18 Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.”
St. Photini Church, Balata Village (rebuilt in 19th century)
Pilgrims’ writings refer to Orthodox veneration of Jacob’s Well dating back to the 3rd century. In the earliest source, the anonymous Pilgrim of Bordeaux, mentions a bath (presumed to be a baptistry) that took its water from the well.
In 1860 the Greek Orthodox Church acquired the property and began restoring the crypt. Construction of a new church was hindered by the 1917 Russian Revolution, which halted Russian funding, and by an earthquake in 1927.
St. Philoumenos of Jacob's Well was assigned the guardian of the martyred on November 29th, 1979 by Asher Raby (literally spelled "Rabi" in some newspaper accounts), a 37 year old Zionist Jew from Tel Aviv. Rabi invaded the monastery and threw a hand grenade inside, which caused substantial damage. The saint escaped the explosion and fire caused by the grenade but was chased by Raby and slashed multiple times in with an axe, severing the saint’s fingers as he protected his face and head. Raby escaped the scene of the crime undetected.
Saint Tabitha Russian Orthodox Church, Jaffa (19th Century)
Located in Ganei Hatikva gardens, in the southern part of Tel-Aviv, the Russian Orthodox church and monastery near Jaffa are a 19th century establishment named after Saint Peter and Saint Tabitha. The site commemorates the raising of Tabitha from the dead by Peter, which took place in Jaffa:
“36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. 37 About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 38 Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!” 39 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them. 40 Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. 41 He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive. 42 This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. 43 Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon. (Acts 9:36-43).
Holy Trinity Cathedral, Jerusalem (19th Century)
Trinity church is a Russian Orthodox is a house of worship located in the Russian compound in Jerusalem's center. The sanctuary and chapel was constructed in 1860. It was designed Martin Epinger. He was a very famous Russian born architect. He designed the structure in a way that might remind of Red Square in Moscow. It is still owned and operated by people from Russia. You might also be interested to know that this place is used by immigrants from that country as a king of connecting place.1
During World War I, the Turks (Ottoman Empire) made all Christians leave Jerusalem. The church fell into disrepair as a result. In 1948, after the War for Independence was over, this house of prayer resumed its primary function, and is now in Russian control once again.
This house of worship got its start during a time when the Russian Orthodox Church was undergoing growth in the area of Jerusalem. They encouraged waves of pilgrims to make the journey.
Saint Porphyrios Church, Gaza (4th Century)
In 2014, around 2,000 Palestinians fleeing Israeli bombings that had killed over 70 Palestinians took shelter in the Church of Saint Porphyrius complex. During the bombings, families slept in the corridors and rooms of the church and adjoining buildings, where they also had meals and medical care provided to them.2
First, a false report emerged that the Israelis had bombed the ancient church, then it was quickly confirmed by a spokesperson that it still remained in tact and hadn’t been attacked. 1 week later, on October 19th, it really happened.
Archbishop Alexios of Tiberias: “We have casualties!
“They hit the offices and the entrance of the monastery. They were bombarded with a missile and the whole building collapsed. There were Christians inside, many of whom have been injured, “Archbishop Alexios of Tiberias, who is in the Greek Orthodox church that was bombed in Gaza.3
The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem strongly denounced the attack as a war crime and accused the Israeli military of targeting churches and civilian shelters.
It must be understood that Palestinian Christians are neither aliens nor bystanders in Palestine. They have been victimized equally as their Muslim brethren. They have also played a significant role in defining the modern Palestinian identity, through their resistance, spirituality, deep connection to the land, artistic contributions and burgeoning scholarship.
Israel must not be allowed to ostracize the world’s most ancient Christian community from their ancestral land so that it may score a few points in its fierce drive for racial supremacy.
Equally important, our understanding of the legendary Palestinian soumoud – steadfastness – and solidarity cannot be complete without fully appreciating the centrality of Palestinian Christians to the modern Palestinian narrative and identity.4
The Palestinian Kairos Document - A Call for Justice
In December 2009, a group of Palestinian Christians released the Kairos Document, a statement calling for an end to the Israeli occupation in Gaza and the West Bank. It represented a historic moment of unity among Palestinian Christians. The Kairos document called for a worldwide effort for Christians to stand up to injustice and “give back to the Palestinians their violated humanity (and) liberate the Israelis from the violence of the occupation.
The document has been endorsed by all of the Heads of Churches in Jerusalem and over 2,300 Palestinian Christians. While the document promoted ecumenist efforts of unity between Christians, Muslims and Jews, spearheaded by the World Council of Churches, it boldly states that “the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land is a sin against God and humanity because it deprives the Palestinians of their basic human rights, bestowed by God.”
Let us pray for the remnant Orthodox Christians of Palestine as they face persecution and genocide by the demonic attacks of the Israeli occupation.
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“Russian Orthodox Holy Trinity Cathedral in Jerusalem, Israel.” GPSmyCity. Accessed October 29, 2023. https://www.gpsmycity.com/attractions/russian-orthodox-holy-trinity-cathedral-22039.html.
Wikipedia contributors, "Church of Saint Porphyrius," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Church_of_Saint_Porphyrius&oldid=1181987037 (accessed October 29, 2023).
NewsRoom. n.d. “Airstrikes Have Struck Orthodox Church Compound in the City of Gaza.” Https://Orthodoxtimes.com/. Accessed October 29, 2023. https://orthodoxtimes.com/airstrikes-have-struck-st-porphyrius-church-in-gaza-18-christians-were-killed/.
Third World Resurgence No. 341/342, 2019, pp 63-64 https://www.twn.my/title2/resurgence/2019/341-342/human1.htm
As you can see, most are built and maintained with Russian money. If it wouldn't be for Russians Orthodoxy would've been eroded from the Balkans and Middle East. I live in Bulgaria and most newer churches were built by Russians. The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral was the biggest Orthodox Cathedral in the world until the year 2000, and how do the Bulgarians thank Russians? They spit on the tiny Russian parish, banish the arch-priest back to Russia to show their treacherous solidarity to Ukraine. They cannot even maintain the cathedral, as they cannot maintain most church buildings in the capital.
You forgot to mention that there is also a huge populous of Palestinian Catholics, outside of that it is a great article. Especially the icon of the Jew at the well attacking St. Philoumenos.