Under the directives of President Mahmoud Abbas, the Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs in Palestine, headed by Dr. Ramzi Khouri, Member of the PLO Executive Committee, held a Divine Liturgy on Thursday morning at the Church of St. Catherine in Bethlehem in memory of the victims of the devastating earthquake that struck the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
The service was held as an expression of solidarity between the Palestinian people and the people of Venezuela, honoring the victims and offering prayers for the swift recovery of those injured.
The liturgy was presided over by Fr. Raphael Tim, Parish Priest of the Church of St. Catherine, and attended by Mr. Maher Taha, Ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the State of Palestine, alongside representatives of the Bethlehem Governorate and local authorities, bishops and clergy from various churches, representatives of the security apparatus and police, official and community figures, heads and members of associations, clubs, institutions, and scout groups, as well as a large gathering of residents from Bethlehem Governorate.
In his homily, Fr. Raphael Tim reflected on the humanitarian tragedy caused by the earthquake in Venezuela, affirming that the Church prays for the eternal repose of the victims’ souls, for comfort to their families, and for the speedy recovery of the injured.
Fr. Tim also offered special prayers for the Palestinian people, particularly those in Gaza, asking God to grant eternal rest to all those who lost their lives, to embrace them with His infinite mercy, to grant healing to the wounded, and to bless the Holy Land and the world with peace and justice.
The Divine Liturgy forms part of the Higher Presidential Committee’s mission to promote the values of human solidarity, strengthen the bonds of friendship between the State of Palestine and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, and reaffirm the importance of praying for the victims of natural disasters and conflicts while fostering the universal values of love, peace, and solidarity among peoples.
