An Orthodox Nun's Insight into the Struggles of Palestinian Christians
"Orthodox nun Mother Agapia Stephanopoulos offers a rare, first-hand account of Christian Palestinian life under Israeli occupation."
West Bank, PUREWILAYAH.COM - A poignant account of the hardships faced by Palestinian Christians has emerged from Mother Agapia Stephanopoulos, an Orthodox nun residing in the occupied West Bank town of Bethany since 1996. Mother Stephanopoulos shared a rare and detailed perspective on the daily struggles of her community, highlighting the severe restrictions and violence they endure.
Mother Agapia detailed a life defined by limitations, including restricted movement, ongoing land confiscation, and violence at the hands of Israeli forces and settlers. She described how the separation wall has physically cut off her community.
"We are closed off in Bethany from going to our convent in Jerusalem because of the wall built on Palestinian land," she explained, noting that a Christian home for boys was even taken over and dismantled to become part of the barrier.
Her account also offered a critical view on Christian Zionism, a belief that Jewish control of the Holy Land is a prerequisite for the second coming of Christ. The nun argued that this viewpoint often overlooks the realities and suffering of local Christian communities.
A Call for Context and Transparency
The nun's testimony provides a crucial lens into the experiences of Palestinian Christians, who make up about 10% of the global Palestinian population and are predominantly Greek Orthodox or Catholic. In Israel, roughly 100,000 Palestinian Christians reside, while around 45,000 live in the occupied West Bank, and just over 1,000 remain in Gaza. Many face ongoing difficulties accessing holy sites due to Israeli restrictions, and since October 2023, numerous churches in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed by bombardments.
Addressing the broader context of violence, Mother Agapia argued that the armed resistance seen in Gaza is not driven by religious motivation but rather by displacement and a prolonged siege.
"What is Hamas? Hamas are people who have had their homes taken from them… basically in an open-air prison for the last 20 years," she stated.
She also raised questions about media freedom and the reporting of the conflict, critiquing the disparate coverage of Palestinian resistance compared to that of Ukraine. The nun concluded with a direct challenge to the lack of transparency, questioning why reporters are barred from entering Gaza and what information might be concealed.
"They call large portions of the West Bank military zones. What kind of press freedom is that? And what is [Israel] trying to hide?" she asked. (PW)
Source: PressTv