The Distinction between Indigenous Christians, Expatriate Christians, and Pilgrims Living in the Holy Land

Theologically speaking, every Christian who comes to live in the Holy Land is automatically considered as a Christian of the Holy Land, as “Jerusalem is the Mother of all Churches.” Christians are all considered to be citizens of Jerusalem, since “all were born there.” St. Peter talked about the Christians of the Holy Land as being the “Living Stones.” In fact, there are two groups of Christians living in the Holy Land; those who are indigenous to the area and those who have moved to the Holy Land from other parts of the world.

The Living Stones; the lives of indigenous Christians

The indigenous people who believed in Jesus’ mission and followed him are the ancestors of the early Christian communities and consist of Jewish converts (Judeo-Christians), Greek/Roman converts (Gentile-Christians) and Arab converts (Arab-Christians). Historically, the indigenous Christian community has been affected by local cultural, political, and social changes that shaped its identity. Parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip are now under the Palestinian National Authority and Hamas, but overall control of the West Bank is under the control of Israel after the war of 1967. Christians living in Israel are Israeli citizens and Christians living in the Occupied Palestinian Territories hold Palestinian citizenship. Jerusalem has been part of Israel since that time and Christians there may be citizens of Israel, or have special residency status. According to the Sabeel study in 2006, out of a total population of the Holy Land around 9 million people, there are fewer than 160 thousand Christians living in the Holy Land. The decline in the Christian population poses a very solemn problem to the continuation of a Christian presence in the Holy Land. It is important to note that the Sabeel study (2006) depend on numerous previous surveys that illustrated the decline in the Christian population from the mid-16^th century until today. For example, Pergola (2001) benchmarks the rise in the Christian population between the mid-16^th and mid-20^th century in Israel and Palestine. Christians made up 3.8% (6,000 persons) of the population in the mid-16th century and this number grew to 7.3% (143,000 persons) by the mid-20^th century. These figures date from 1947, one year before the creation of the State of Israel.

The Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry survey study that was implemented in between 1945-46 focused on the Christian presence in the Holy Land per district. The survey study indicated that highest concentration of Christians is in the District of Jerusalem, 31.8% (46,130 persons), followed by the Haifa District with 23.2%, taking into consideration that Bethlehem, Beit Sahour, and Beit Jala were included in the Jerusalem district numbers. In December 2006 the Sabeel survey conducted a survey showed that Bethlehem District which included the towns of Beit Sahour and Beit Jala, estimated 22,000 Christians and 8,000 Christians living in Jerusalem. Other survey was conducted by the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics in 2005, shows that number of Christians in Jerusalem around 12,000 (with over 2,000 non-Arab Christians). Even with the higher number provided by the Israeli census, the Sabeel survey concludes that, when compared with the 46,130 Christians in 1931, the Jerusalem-Bethlehem area today has a Palestinian Christian population that is at least 12,000 Christians fewer than in 1945. Thus, the Sabeel survey shows that between 1945 and 2005, there has been no increase in the Christian population in Bethlehem. However, during those 62 years, Beit Jala fared a little better; it added about 3,000 persons, growing from 3,540 in 1945 to about 6,400 Christians in 2005. Likewise, Beit Sahour added 2,600 to its 4,770 Christians in 1945; thus, having 7,370 Christians in 2005. Using the estimated 2% annual growth rate of the 1940s, survey analysts argue that the low Christian growth rate is a real cause for concern, since many of the Christian youth are immigrating to other countries.

Based on the 1945 figures the Sabeel Survey indicated that:

• Jerusalem’s 31,000 Christians in the 1940s should have doubled to 62,000 by 1980, and reached around 93,000 by 2007.
• In 1980, Bethlehem’s 6,490 Christians of 1945 should have numbered 12,980 by 1980 and 19,470 in 2007.
• Beit Jala’s 1980 population should have been 7,080, an increase of 3,540 from 1945 and should be 10,620 by 2007, a significantly higher number than its 2005 population of 6,400 as stated by the Israeli Bureau of Statistics.
• Beit Sahour’s population should have registered at 9,540 in 1980 and 14,310 by 2007.

The Christian population in other towns and cities that have Christian presence also fall far below the 2% predicted growth rate. Again, based on the 1945 figures, Ramallah’s 4,520 Christians and the 3,890 in the surrounding villages of Aboud, Ein Arik, and Jifna, Taybeh and the town of Birzeit should have reached a combined population of 16,820 by 1980 and 25,230 by 2007.The Sabeel Survey put their combined Christian population at approximately 12,950 in 2006. The same dismal numbers are registered in the Nablus district; it had a Christian population of 1,560 in 1945, compared with today’s estimated 700. There are about 2,000 Christians in the Jenin district. Although higher than its 1,210 population in 1945, it is still lower than the predicted 2% annual growth rate in 1980 and far fewer than the 3,630 mark for 2007. Furthermore, according to the Sabeel Survey, in 1945, Gaza’s Christian population was estimated at 1,300 persons, and the totally population who lived in Gaza City up to the 2006 survey were between 2,500 to 3000.

The Sabeel Survey estimated that in 2006, approximately 50,000 Palestinian Christians populated the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT)). According to the 1967 Israeli census, there were 42,494 Christians in the Palestinian Territories when it was occupied by Israel in 1967. By applying the 2% annual rate to the 1967 census data, the Christian population in the Occupied Palestinian Territories should be approximately 94,000 persons by 2007. Given the current departure rate, it is unrealistic to expect that even with a 2% annual growth rate, that the Christians of the Occupied Palestinian Territories would reach 2007’s projected population level in 2013.

The Sabeel Survey goes on to indicate that during the time of the British Mandate, there were about 156,000 Christians living in the Holy Land. While, in 1949, the population of the Palestinians in Israel numbered 160,000, of whom 115,000 were Muslims (69.7%); the Christians numbered 34,000 (21.3%) and there were 14,500 Druze (9.0%). After the 1948 war, almost 90,000 Palestinian Christians became refugees (60,000 living outside the boundaries of Israel, and   30,000 within areas of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip). In some localities, such as Ramle and Jaffa, which now are part of Israel, only hundreds remain in previously flourishing Christian communities. Haifa is one of the cities with a good size Christian Palestinians presence, ended up with around 5,000 Christians remaining from a 1945 population of almost 34,000.

Expatriate Christians living in the Holy Land. Expatriate Christians came to live in the Holy Land to be part of Christian-based missions. Most are clergy and related personnel who came to work in churches, schools and universities. Some of them were assigned by church leaders to work in the Holy Land, some came to study the roots of their religion, others came from a desire to live in the Land where Jesus lived, others to work with pilgrims and a few were motivated to help the local Christians.

Clergy and members of religious orders.  Over the centuries foreign clergy and pastors have come to minister in the Holy Land’s Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant parishes and pastoral centres. They comprise different religious orders with the purpose of serving the local Christians and international pilgrims. Although an accurate number of these centres is not recorded, the Directory of the Catholic Churches in the Holy Land reports that there are more than 202 such Catholic institutions, in addition to 112 Institutions of Consecrated Life, 323 houses, and 1,731 members (priests, monks and nuns). In addition there are many Orthodox and fewer Protestant institutions where expatriate clergy and religious leaders minister.

Educational institutions.

In the Holy Land, there are more than 83 Catholic educational institutions, 36 different Orthodox educational institutions, and 25 other Christian denominations with educational institutions

Specialized school homes.

In the Holy Land, specialized boarding schools and orphanages exist to provide for dependent and disabled children. There are 20 such Catholic centres and many Orthodox and Protestant centres but there no accurate information is available on numbers.

Medical and social services. At present, there are more than 25 Catholic hospitals, clinics, and social services and many others provided to both Christians and non-Christians by Orthodox and Protestant missions in Israel, Jerusalem and the West Bank.

Principal shrines.

In the Holy Land, there are more than 39 shrines and more than 39 holy places associated with the Christian religion, many of which are administered by the Franciscans as part of their responsibility as Custodians of the Holy Land. Likewise, there are holy sites available to Protestant international pilgrims, administered by expatriate Protestant volunteers from Europe and North America.

The theology of the Holy Land is important for Christians living in this land because it is where the Christian religion originated. The central figure of the Christian faith, Jesus Christ, considered to be the Son of God by His followers, was born and lived in the Holy Land, in fulfilment of Old Testament prophecies. This land is where Jesus lived His earthy life, where He spoke His most important teachings, such as the Sermon on the Mount, the basis of daily Christian life, which affirms the Ten Commandments. Here He taught His followers the Lord’s Prayer, the most commonly spoken Christian prayer in the world. In this land He ministered by the Sea of Galilee, preaching in such towns as Capernaum, Bethsaida and other villages. In this land He travelled to nearby areas, such as Caesarea Philippi. In this land Jesus taught in parables which are taught in every church and are often used as moral examples in the Christian life. In this land Jesus performed many miracles, showing his divine power over nature, making the blind see, healing the paralytic, walking on water, and calming a storm. In this land He forgave sins and drove out demons. In this land Jesus suffered, was crucified, died, buried and raised from the dead for the salvation of all mankind.  In this land the first Christian community began and spread all over the world, based on love, mercy, and peace.  This, the land which is called holy, should be the land of every Christian in the entire world.

The historical events presented here show the development of the Christian community in the Holy Land since the first Christian community began to the present day range of denominations. The presenting of the historical chronology of Christian history aims to provide the historical background that has affected the Christian presence in the most holy place in the world for Christians.