WCC news: In Holy Land, “light and life have a true and enduring existence” as heads of churches gather with WCC

World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay met with the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem on 17 February, and was received with gratitude “at this difficult and complicated time for all the peoples of this region, and especially for the Christian community of the Holy Land,” said His Beatitude Theophilos III, Patriarch of Jerusalem, in a welcome address.  His Beatitude Theophilos III, Patriarch of Jerusalem, and Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay, WCC general secretary. Photo: Marianne Ejdersten/WCC 18 February 2024 Your visit is of such importance, for you bring with you the attention of the World Council of Churches and its members to the situation here,” said Theophilos III. “War and violence are always the consequence of human failure.” But the church proclaims a different truth, the Patriarch said. “In theological terms we affirm that hatred and darkness have no hypostasis; it is only light and life that have a true and enduring existence,” he said. “Death is not our mission.” The patriarch called for unity, peace, and reconciliation. “This is our common human vocation and our common human destiny,” he said. “Our historical experience in the Holy Land is a powerful and tangible example that synagogue, church, and mosque may exist side-by-side in mutual respect.” Photo: Issa Johnny Habash/Jerusalem Patriarchate Pillay expressed deep appreciation for the hosts of the WCC delegation, and reiterated the WCC’s call for an end to the war and a dialogue for peace. He shared that the WCC has journeyed on the Palestine and Israel issue for many years and has always supported the call for just peace in Palestine.  Reflecting on that journey, Pillay added, “The WCC speaks of a Pilgrimage of Justice, Reconciliation, and Unity, and it is in this spirit that we continue our journey in the Holy Land as we offer prayerful support and engage in strategic intervention to address the current war in Gaza.”  Pillay outlined that the objectives of the WCC visit are to “express solidarity, discuss the current situation, and discern with you how the WCC may be of assistance in this context.”   His Beatitude honoured the WCC general secretary with the medal of the Commander of the Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, describing Pillay as a “great bearer of the cross.” Those gathered planned to organize a future conference on Christian identity in the world and especially in the context of Jerusalem sometime in the near future.  In his first day of a visit to strengthen the call for just peace in the Holy Land, Pillay also visited the Holy Sepulcher Church. He attended a lunch at the Arab Catholic Scouts Club with the US solidarity group Sabeel (with 30 pilgrims from the US, most of them Presbyterians). He also visited the Armenian Quarter, and met with the International Christian Committee.  As head of the delegation, the WCC general secretary is being accompanied by Dr Audeh Quawas (WCC central committee member), Marianne Ejdersten (WCC director of Communication) and Yusef Daher (coordinator, WCC Jerusalem Liaison Office). "Visit of the general secretary of the World Council of Churches" (Patriarchate of Jerusalem news release, 18 February 2024) "WCC general secretary visits Holy Land to strengthen call for just peace" (WCC news release, 15 February 2024) WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay visited the Holy Sepulcher Church in Jerusalem. Photo: Marianne Ejdersten/WCC See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland