The General Secretariat of the Christian Youth in Palestine participated in the Jubilee celebrations of the Church for the year 2025, with a special group consisting of 16 children representing various parishes across Palestine. This participation was part of the Church’s farewell to His Holiness Pope Francis.
The group was accompanied by Fr. Louis Salman, the youth’s spiritual chaplain; Fr. Firas Abed Rabbo, parish priest of Ein Arik; Miss Celina Salsaa, secretary of the General Secretariat; and Miss Pauline Ghattas, head of the high school committee. Mr. André Haddad also joined the group and contributed to making this program possible through the generous support of benefactors in Italy.
The trip included a visit to the Vatican with the crossing of the Holy Door, attendance at the funeral of His Holiness Pope Francis, a visit to Assisi—the town of Saint Francis of Assisi—and the shrine of the Blessed Carlo Acutis, a saint of our times. The journey was also marked with several Masses and confessions, which helped the participants live out this spiritual experience with prepared hearts.
This lively participation reflected the spirit of Palestinian youth and their commitment to faith and belonging to the universal Church. It was a unique opportunity for the children to encounter the Mother Church and interact with youth from around the world, broadening their spiritual and cultural horizons.
This initiative comes as part of the General Secretariat’s vision to strengthen the role of youth in the life of the Church and to prepare a faithful and conscious generation that carries the message of hope, love, and peace in the homeland of Jesus.
We pray that this spiritual experience becomes a turning point in the lives of all participants and that they may reflect what they have learned in their parishes and among their fellow youth.
