Boston – "Nabd ElHaya" - Sanad Sahelia - Standing in the Malitos Cultural Center in Boston, Massachusetts, Fr. Bashar Fawadleh—priest of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and parish priest of Christ the Redeemer Church in Taybeh, the only entirely Christian town left in Palestine—carried the pain of his land, the voice of his people, and the witness of a faith deeply rooted in the land of the Resurrection. His stirring address at the Annual Gathering of the Massachusetts Council of Churches turned the meeting into a moment of profound spiritual reflection, reviving in the American Christian consciousness images long absent from mainstream media: Christian Palestine is bleeding... but it has not surrendered.
“Good evening from Jerusalem... the City of God and the Resurrection”
Fr. Fawadleh began his speech with a greeting unlike any other—saturated with theological and emotional significance: “Good evening from Jerusalem, the Holy City... I greet you in the name of Christ—the Risen Christ, who left behind an empty tomb. I greet you with peace—from the land where everything began, from a land still searching for peace, but has yet to find it.”
He continued: “Peace from Jerusalem, the City of God, the City of the Resurrection and new life. Peace from my parish, from Taybeh—the town visited by Jesus and mentioned in the Gospel of John, when He withdrew to Ephraim before His Passion. Taybeh, once a refuge for Christ, is today unsafe for His descendants—the children of the Apostles.”
"I Am a Priest Born into the Intifada... Sent to Serve Amid Occupation"
Fr. Fawadleh introduced himself in stark, unvarnished terms:
“I am Fr. Bashar Fawadleh, a Palestinian Catholic priest. I was born in 1987, during the First Intifada. I entered seminary in the year 2000, in the midst of the Second Intifada. I was ordained in 2014 in Ramallah—the same year Israeli forces stormed the city.”
Four Martyrs Tonight… and an Appeal to America
In a moment heavy with silence, Fr. Fawadleh said: “I come from a place filled with complexities and challenges—a place where basic rights are denied. There is no freedom of movement, no freedom to travel, to study, or even to play. Just to be here with you tonight, I had to travel through Jordan. My journey took more than 40 hours.”
He added: “Just hours ago, four young men were killed in our area in a new settler attack. Homes were torched, cars destroyed. These are not stories from the past—they happened tonight.”
He appealed: “Through you, I call on the U.S. government and the international community to intervene. We simply want to live—in freedom, peace, and justice. We do not hate anyone because of their religion. But we are facing an Israeli occupation that seizes our land, terrifies our families, blocks our towns, and kills our children.”
"Despite Everything… We Rejoice"
In the midst of such a dark reality, Fr. Fawadleh conveyed a message of hope: “We rejoice, because the Lord is our companion on this journey. We rejoice because joy is stronger than sorrow, life is stronger than death, and true happiness lies in giving, not taking… We rejoice because we live in the homeland of Jesus—Palestine. We rejoice because we walk in His footsteps, because we are Palestinian Christians who carry the Cross, proclaim the Resurrection, and follow Christ to Golgotha.”
“Come and See… Visit Taybeh”
Fr. Fawadleh extended a heartfelt invitation to those present and to American churches: “Come and see—just as Jesus said to the disciples of John. Visit the Holy Land. Visit Taybeh, the only remaining town in Palestine with an entirely Christian population. We are only 1,300 people, but we carry a sacred and ancient history that cannot be erased. We have sons and daughters all over the world. Sadly, since October 7, 2023, more than 10 families have left Taybeh. It is the occupation, the checkpoints, and the fear that drive people to leave.”
He added: “Today, every entrance to Taybeh is controlled by military checkpoints. At any moment, everything can be shut down. We do not emigrate because we hate Jews as individuals, but because the military occupation is robbing us of our lives.”
The Church Builds Hope and Gives Life
Despite the suffering and harsh realities, Fr. Fawadleh made sure to shed light on the radiant face of the Church in Palestine. In Taybeh, the parish works tirelessly to plant seeds of hope amid the pain. Since the outbreak of war on Gaza, the parish has created over 40 job opportunities for local residents and has provided aid and school support.
He shared various social, spiritual, and humanitarian initiatives in the village: The Caritas medical center, the elderly home, a music academy, Nabd El-Haya radio station, the House of Proverbs, housing projects, a traditional dabke dance troupe, a football academy, guesthouses, and the Latin Patriarchate school—where about 70% of students are Muslim, a powerful witness to interfaith harmony and openness.
He affirmed: “We live together. We visit one another. We raise our children on respect and love. This is the core of the Christian message.”
Fr. Fawadleh concluded his speech with unwavering confidence, rooted in faith and heritage:
“We, Palestinian Christians, are not afraid of anyone. And we will remain in our land forever.”