Please pray that 9-year-old Khalid’s Christian counterparts in Gaza and the West Bank, during this time of Lent, have a profound sense of God’s presence with them and God’s love for them. Please pray that God comfort them for all the losses they have experienced since Oct 2023- loss of family members, loss of home, loss of security, loss of peace. Please pray that their experience of family and their experience of community strengthen them. Please pray that they find moments of joy in the traditions that they are able to celebrate. Please pray for their hope for the future. Please pray that the ceasefire holds and a path to justice and peace is found.
Context: The experience of Lent in Gaza and the West Bank in this year in which Lent and Ramadan coincide
In Gaza
Christian Population: The Christian presence in Gaza – never large, but continuous for two millennia– has dwindled, and its complete disappearance is now imaginable. About 1000 Christians are located in Gaza City where three churches remain actively functioning: the Greek Orthodox St. Porphyrios Church (dating from 425 AD), the Roman Catholic Holy Family Church (developed from mission which began in 1860), and the Gaza Baptist Church (1954)- each subjected to recent damage or direct attacks by the Israeli Defense Forces. Christians refused to evacuate Gaza City as ordered by the Israeli forces. They stayed sheltering in the three churches.
Christian Experience: Christians in Gaza have suffered the same horrific injury, loss of loved ones, lack of services, poverty and reliance on humanitarian aid that characterizes the Muslim population. The churches are operating under extreme conditions without proper access to fuel, electricity, food, or water. The Latin Patriarchate has reported that many individuals in their care are suffering from severe malnutrition.
Celebration of Lent: In 2026, Lent in Gaza is being observed by the small, remaining Christian population amidst extreme destruction, focusing on prayer, fasting, and spiritual survival. Orthodox Christians fast from all animal products during Lent and other Holy Days. This includes milk, eggs, butter, meat, poultry and some fish. Each Friday throughout the period of Lent, Believers participate in the praises of the Holy Virgin Mary. In Lent’s final week, Christians attend worship every day to hear the story of the Last Supper, the Path of the Passion and the Crucifixion. In past years, during the last week of fasting, Christians prepared themselves to celebrate Easter by cooking hand-made cookies, decorating their homes to host relatives and friends, and dying Easter eggs. Due to the ravages of war, these traditions are severely constrained. Christians and Muslims in Gaza are fasting in shared solidarity during this time. This "wilderness season" is defined by displacement and loss.
In the West Bank.
Christian Population: Approximately 50,000 Christians remain in the West Bank, primarily in the areas of Bethlehem, Nablus and Ramallah. The largest groups are Greek Orthodox and Catholic although many other denominations maintain a presence. High rates of emigration continue as young Palestinian Christians leave for better economic and security prospects abroad.
Christian Experience: As of early 2026, the situation of churches and the Christian community in the West Bank is characterized by intense, daily settler violence, economic collapse, and severe movement restrictions, creating a climate of fear and insecurity. Reports indicate a sharp increase in violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinian Christian individuals, clergy, and properties. The Israeli military seldom intervenes to address the violence. The Israeli military’s strict control over movement in the West Bank severely limits the ability of Christians to attend services, visit holy sites, and reach jobs.
Celebration of Lent: In 2026, Christians in the West Bank will observe Lent through intense prayer, fasting, and daily mass, focusing on spiritual reflection amid significant hardship. Most Christians abstain from meat, while those in Orthodox traditions typically avoid all animal products (meat, eggs, and dairy) for the entire season. Common meals include mujaddara (lentils and rice), falafel, and stuffed grape leaves. Due to the ongoing crisis, celebrations are deeply intertwined with themes of lament, solidarity, and seeking divine justice. Because Lent and Ramadan began on the same day in 2026, the period is characterized by shared interfaith reflection and community gatherings. While it is traditional to visit holy sites like the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem or the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, movement is severely limited by checkpoints and a strict permit system.
From Jerusalem: A Message for Our Time of Fasting
“In these days, Christians begin their Lenten fast, which leads us to Holy Week and the glorious celebration of Easter. Our Muslim brothers and sisters also initiate their fast of the month of Ramadan. This means that we are all, Christians and Muslims, fasting together, each in our own way and according to our own beliefs. For us all, this period of fasting is a time of repentance and a return to the divine embrace. It is a spiritual journey that we experience in all its splendor and spirituality. We seize the opportunity of this simultaneous fasting to emphasize together the spiritual, human, and moral values that unite us as believers in our God, Creator of heaven and earth...”
From A Jerusalem Voice for Justice including His Beatitude Michel Sabbah, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem (emeritus); His Eminence Attallah Hanna, Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Sebastia; and His Grace Munib Younan, Lutheran Bishop of Jordan and the Holy Land (emeritus)
Read more: https://devp.org/en/message-for-lent-and-ramadan-from-the-holy-land/
Additional reading:
https://cnewa.org/gazas-churches-stand-firm/
https://www.palestinechronicle.com/kairos-and-lent-in-the-holy-land/
