2021 Meeting of the Coordination of Episcopal Conferences in Support of the Church in the Holy Land Moves to Virtual Setting
Wednesday, January 27 2021In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the program was modified to host the annual meeting of the Coordination of Episcopal Conferences in Support of the Church in the Holy Land in a virtual setting. The meeting began on Saturday 16 January and concluded on 21 January 2021, with the participation of the Most Reverend Raymond Poisson, Bishop of Saint-Jérôme and Mont-Laurier, and Vice-President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB). This annual international gathering involves representatives from Conferences of Bishops in Europe and North America who meet with the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land (AOCTS) to promote dialogue and peace in the region.
The agenda featured a series of online meetings with regional religious and political leaders who shared information pertaining to the current reality in the Holy Land and Gaza, the youth of the region and the role of education, as well as to projects and social initiatives for those in need. Delegates likewise met with the new Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli.
As customary, the participating Bishops issued a news release at the conclusion of their annual meeting.