The Jerusalem District Court has ruled that the Greek Orthodox Church elections for Patriarch, in which Irineos was chosen, were illegal and must be held again.

Arutz-7's Shimon Cohen, who has been following the story closely, reports that the Church finds itself in a quandary as a result of the ruling.
Shimon Cohen, Arutz 7, March 9, 2005

THE ORTHODOX Church of Greece and Jerusalem placed a gag order on all clergy, just two days after press revelations linking Archbishop Christodoulos to a man arrested for heroin dealing one year later. The mounting church crisis, with daily revelations of bishops' scandals, is widely considered Christodoulos' greatest challenge in his seven-year ministry, and some believe it could even jeopardise his position at the church's helm.

GEORGE GILSON, Athens News, Feb 18, 2005

How can any cash-strapped local authority say `no' to generous donations from devout American Christians, which are earmarked for assisting the poor, the disabled, new immigrants and other unfortunates?

It is hard to find a cash-strapped local authority in this country that is not supported by contributions from devout Christians from the United States via the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (popularly called the "Friendship Fund" in Hebrew). During its four years of local operation, the fund has become one of the leading philanthropic organizations in the country. In 2004, it contributed about NIS 100 million to Israel - an increase of 12 percent compared to the previous year.

Ruth Sinai, Haaretz, Jan 7, 2005

Christmas in Israel has been shadowed by the gloom of the prolonged Israeli-Palestinian conflict. While the United Nations has reported that the future of Bethlehem is not optimistic, Christian leaders in the region have continued to encourage the people with words of hope and faith.

Christianity Today, Dec 29, 2004

What a Shame: "There was lots of hitting going on. Police were hit, monks were hit ... there were people with bloodied faces," said a witness in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, reputed to be Golgotha where Christ was crucified, and the site of the tomb where he was buried.

Allyn Fisher-Ilan in Jerusalem, Tuesday September 28, 2004, The Guardian

Singing such Christian songs as "Jesus Loves Me, This I Know" in Korean, the throngs of 2,300 South Korean Christians -- young and old -- walked through the streets of the Jerusalem suburb of Gilo on Monday and crossed over "Checkpoint 300" into the Palestinian area of Bethlehem on what they called the "March for Peace"

By Julie Stahl, CNSNews.com Jerusalem Bureau Chief, August 9, 2004

Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa is the new Custos of the Fransiscan Custody of the Holy Land. At the age of 39, Pizzaballa is one of the youngest elected for this influential office.

He is fluent in Hebrew and published "the Rite of the Mass in Hebrew". In this interview he speaks about challenges he faces in this new position. He talks about the dividing wall, the emigrating of Palestinian Christians and the small Hebrew Speaking Christian community in Israel.

Fransiscan Custody in Holy Land Website, May 15, 2004

Nationally syndicated columnist Robert Novak reveals an important letter by Rep. Henry Hyde to Secretary of State Colin Powell. Hyde's letter is a plea to deflect Ariel Sharon's wall around the Holy Land from its planned position blocking the Scriptural pathway of Christ.

That raises the question of whether the Bush administration will confront Israel on this issue. Sharon's government last year abruptly cut off negotiations with the Vatican.

By Robert Novak, CNN, April 1, 2004

George Elias Khouri, a 20-year-old student at the Hebrew University was killed in a drive-by shooting as he was jogging in the French Hill area of Jerusalem. George is son of known Lawyer Elias Khoury.

The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades claimed responsibility for the shooting that was targeted on "a settler". When the identity of the victim became known, Arafat's office telephoned his father to condemn the attack and opologize.

By Jonathan Lis, Haaretz, March 22, 2004

A Palestinian arrested by the Palestinian Authority says he received a large amount of money by a Metropolite inside the Patriarchate of Jerusalem to assassinate Patriarch Erineos.

Athens, Mecodanian Press Agency, 4 April 2003