Catholics in Israel

There are several reasons why tourists love to visit Israel but a few top reasons include off-road jeep tours in the Judean desert as well as rafting, and sailing, but they are not the only reasons, in fact, tourists do visit Israel because it has much more to offer such as food, archaeological sites, sun, beaches, and hiking trails. All those are the reasons behind why one should visit Israel at least once in his or her life, but the biggest of all is that Israel is a Holy Land for not only Judaists but also for Muslims and Christians. That’s why, every year, a huge number of Christians visit Israel whether they are Catholics or Protestants. They visit Israel particularly to learn more about the life of Jesus.

The tourists usually begin their journey to Israel from Bethlehem. They then head towards Nazareth where Jesus spent the early years of his life and eventually reach their most beloved destination, Jerusalem. From the birthplace of Jesus in Bethlehem, the tourists then move to Nazareth. Their next destination is often Galilee. This is the place where Jesus ministered. He also spent the last week of his life before moving to Jerusalem.

They can follow in his footsteps from the Last Supper with his disciples to his betrayal and arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, then his trek through the Via Dolorosa to the crucifixion, and ultimately to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where he was buried and resurrected. This journey can be made at any time of year, but especially at Easter and Christmas.

In Israel, there are Christian populations, dioceses, parishes, and communities.

So, how many Christians do you think there are in Israel? Approximately 200,000 people, or 1.5 percent of the population, are there The Greek Catholics (Melkite) are Israel’s largest Christian community, accounting for 40% of the population. The Greek Orthodox have 32 percent, the Roman Catholics in Israel have 20 percent, and the Maronites have 7%. The remaining Christian groups make up about 1% of the entire population.

Syriac, Chaldean Maronite, Armenian Latin (Roma), Greek Melkite, Chaldean, and Armenian are seven Catholic Church jurisdictions in Israel that overlap with each other. In Israel and the Palestinian Territories, there are now 103 Catholic parishes.

Holy See representatives in Israel

On December 30, 1993, the Holy See and the State of Israel established diplomatic relations for the first time. After the two countries signed a ‘Fundamental Agreement,’ a Vatican Nunciature in Israel and an Israeli embassy in Rome were established three weeks later. According to the Vatican, this ‘normalization’ is a means of establishing better Christian-Jewish ties, which have historically been strained.

Catholic Travel Guide to Israel

Today, we’ll look at Catholic influences in Israel, because the land of Israel is intricately linked to key moments in Christian history, particularly Jesus’ life and times. It’s no surprise, then, that a vacation to the Holy Land and a visit to the Catholic holy sites in Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Galilee appeals to so many Catholics.

Check out our Christian Israel Tour Packages and Christian day tours if you’re interested in visiting Catholic churches in Israel.