The main income for the Christian community of Bethlehem, the birth place of Jesus, comes from the sale of hand crafted olive wood religious items to the pilgrims who visit the area. These past few years have been extremely hard for the community as a result of declining tourism due to political unrest. Some Christians have responded by fleeing the Holy Land, and the absence of a living Christian community is very dangerous for holy sites such as The Church of The Nativity.

Jean from Holy Land Wood Art, HLWA Inc. will be at St. Peter’s Parish Hall after all Masses on October 4th & 5th with some of their beautiful art for sale in an effort to strengthen the Christian presence in the Holy Land. Please consider buying these items to contribute to the income for local Christians and Catholics to support their families and their presence in the Holy Land.