Holy Week in Jerusalem

This month, Islam’s season of Ramadan coincides with the Passover and Easter holy days of Judaism and Christianity. In each of the three Abrahamic faiths, these are days of remembrance, repentance, and celebration of the life that God desires for humanity. The streets of Old Jerusalem are alive with lights, pilgrimages and processions.

And yet the season is also marked by the tensions that plague the Israeli and Palestinian communities. Many Muslim and Christians from the West Bank and Gaza are arbitrarily denied permits to worship in Jerusalem. Violence often erupts in the areas around Western Wall and Al Aqsa mosque—especially when Jewish and Muslim holy days overlap.

As followers of the Prince of Peace, let us lift up in prayer the people of Palestine and Israel at this time—that peace with justice may dawn. To resource our prayers, we suggest the following:

1. An article on this year’s overlapping religious holidays and the tensions that accompany them: https://religionnews.com/2022/04/08/jerusalem-and-the-tyranny-of-the-religious-calendar/

2. Prayers voiced by Palestinian Christians via Sabeel Wave of Prayer: https://sabeel.org/category/wave-of-prayers/

3. Beautiful mediation of Palm Sunday lament and Easter hope from Bethlehem pastor Munther Isaac: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKV19rNBWcA

Fact Sheet and Ottawa Letter on Bedouin Displacement in Palestine and Israel:

Download the fact sheet

Speaker’s Bureau:

See the Google Spreadsheet