The Catholic Church in Israel is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, in full communion with the Holy See in Rome. The Catholic Church in Israel is divided into three main jurisdictions: the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land, and the Salesian Mission. Each of these jurisdictions has its own responsibilities and areas of operation.
A number of institutions and organizations serve the Catholic community. The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem is the main Catholic institution in Israel, and it is responsible for the pastoral care of Catholics in Israel, the Palestinian territories, and Jordan. The patriarchate has a number of parishes, schools, and hospitals in the region, and it also operates the Terra Sancta Museum in Jerusalem, which showcases the history and culture of the Holy Land.
The Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land is a Catholic religious order that is responsible for the care of the holy shrines in the Holy Land, such as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. The Salesian Mission is another Catholic religious order that operates in Israel, particularly in the area of education and youth ministry.
In addition to these institutions, there are a number of Catholic organizations and charities that operate in Israel, such as the Catholic Near East Welfare Association, which provides humanitarian assistance to Christians and other minority communities in the Middle East, and the Catholic Relief Services, which works on issues such as poverty, education and health.
Overview
At the start of the 21st century there were approximately 200,000 Christians in Israel and the Palestinian territories, representing about 1.5% of the total population. The largest Catholic Churches included 64,400 Greek Melkite Catholics, 32,200 Latin Catholics, and 11,270 Maronite Catholics. By 2020, Catholics made up 1.27% of the population, although some estimates were more than twice that.
Jurisdictions of seven of the Catholic Churches overlap in Israel: the Armenian, Chaldean, Greek Melkite, Latin (Roman), Maronite, and Syriac. The Coptic Catholic patriarchate also has representation in Israel and the Palestinian territories, as does the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land, the Territorial Prelature of the Notre Dame Center of Jerusalem, and the Personal prelature of Opus Dei, with jurisdictional presence. The Holy See is represented by the Apostolic Nuncio to Israel and the Apostolic Delegate in Jerusalem for Palestine.
About 85% of the Catholics in Israel and the Palestinian territories are Arabic-speaking. In addition to a handful of chaplaincies for expatriate clergy, pilgrims, and workers, there is also a vicariate within the Latin Patriarchate ministering to Hebrew Catholics, i.e., converts to Catholicism of Jewish descent, or Hebrew-speaking Catholics born to immigrant workers, often from the Philippines.
Local jurisdictions
Dioceses
Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem
Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarchal Dependent Territory of Jerusalem
Melkite Greek Catholic Eparchy of Akka
Maronite Catholic Archeparchy of Haifa and the Holy Land
Maronite Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate of Jerusalem and Palestine
Armenian Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate of Jerusalem and Amman
Syriac Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate of Jerusalem
See also: Chaldean Catholic Territory Dependent on the Patriarch of Jerusalem
Particular jurisdictions
The Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land has care of most of the Christian holy sites and shrines under the jurisdiction of the Catholic Church. The Territorial Prelature of the Notre Dame Center of Jerusalem is considered an Ecumenical Holy Place and pilgrim hostel, under the direct jurisdiction of the Holy See, but in the care of the Legion of Christ since November 2004. The Personal prelature of Opus Dei has a small regional vicariate in Jerusalem. Its members are under the jurisdiction of the prelature, though no territory is.
Parishes and communities
There are currently 103 Catholic parishes in Israel and the Palestinian Territories: 43 Latin 43 Greek Melkite 14 Maronite 2 Syrian 1 Armenian
There are additionally 8 language chaplaincies and 7 ethnic pastoral centers within the Latin Patriarchate: 4 Hebrew-speaking 2 German-speaking 1 English-speaking 1 French-speaking 2 Filipino communities 2 Russian communities 1 African community 1 Polish community 1 Romanian community