Sanad Sahelia

Sanad Sahelia is a freelance journalist with ACI MENA covering Christian communities and their affairs in Palestine and the Holy Land. He has been working for different media outlets for over 26 years.

Articles by Sanad Sahelia

The custos of the Holy Land, Father Francesco Patton, anoints the statue of Jesus on the Stone of Anointing during the ceremony known as the “funeral procession” on Good Friday night 2024. According to the tradition and the Status Quo, on the evening of Good Friday — both Catholic and Orthodox — the rite of preparing Jesus’ body for burial is reenacted on this stone during the so-called “funeral procession.” Credit: Marinella Bandini

Amid ongoing war and blockades, Holy Land Christians insist on celebrating Easter

Apr 19, 2025 / 07:00 am

This year’s Easter celebrations in the Holy Land are expected to unfold under a complex and emotional landscape as war continues in Gaza.

The papal ambassador to Jordan, Archbishop Giovanni Pietro Dal Toso, and Jordanian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Lina Annab speak at a press conference in Amman, Jordan, about the new exhibit “Jordan: Dawn of Christianity,” which will open at the Vatican on Jan. 31, 2025. Credit: ACI MENA

Vatican to host historic Jordan exhibition on Christianity’s origins

Jan 9, 2025 / 15:00 pm

The “Jordan: Dawn of Christianity” exhibit will open at the Vatican on Jan. 31 showcasing 90 artifacts.

Lara Al-Sayegh, a Catholic from Gaza, collapsed and died of heatstroke as she and her mother tried to leave Gaza and find safe haven in Egypt on April 24, 2024. The 19-year-old lived in northern Gaza and the family had already lost their father and husband after he died at Gaza’s Latin Holy Family Church due to a lack of adequate medical care. Credit: Fady Al-Sayegh

19-year-old Catholic woman dies attempting to flee Gaza with her mother

Apr 30, 2024 / 16:30 pm

The tragic death of Lara Al-Sayegh highlights the suffering of Gaza’s dwindling Christian minority.