The Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, planted an olive tree on a Palestinian Christian farm in occupied Palestine today.
The Archbishop was visiting the Tent of Nations farm project south of Bethlehem in the West Bank, which has been in a decades-long struggle to protect its land from being confiscated. The Archbishop heard from Daoud Nasser, whose family have owned the farm for over 100 years, that the farm has been increasingly surrounded by settlements in recent years and subjected to attacks by settlers.
The Tent of Nations is committed to a nonviolent struggle for justice and has taken the motto: “We refuse to be enemies.”
Surrounded by the Nasser family, the Archbishop planted and watered the olive tree before saying a prayer and giving a blessing on the family and its farm. Later in the visit, the Archbishop joined the family in a moment of prayer in the chapel housed in an ancient cave on their farm.
The Archbishop’s visit was intended to encourage the Nasser family and Palestinian Christians at a time of great fear and uncertainty. Palestinian Christians are increasingly leaving the West Bank, communities are being violently forced from their land, and illegal settlements are rapidly expanding across the West Bank.
Archbishop Sarah Mullally said: “It was a privilege to meet and pray with the Nasser family today. They are an example of creative, hopeful, Christian resistance to injustice and they need the support of Christians around the world. At a time when many Palestinian Christians are leaving, olive trees are a symbol of their deep roots in this land. As this tree grows, I pray that peace grows too in Palestine and Israel. Please pray for the Nasser family, Palestinian Christians and all those working for a just peace in the Holy Land.”
Earlier today the Archbishop visited the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, where she prayed at the site of Jesus’ birth and met with the Greek Orthodox Archbishop, His Eminence Metropolitan Benedictos of Diocesarea.
Together with Archbishop Hosam Naoum, the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem, the Archbishop of Canterbury is currently on a pilgrimage in Palestine and Israel to show solidarity with Palestinian Christians.
