Israeli demonstrators storm Catholic monastery as controversy grows around historic religious site

A group of religious activists disrupted a prayer session at a Catholic monastery in Haifa, Israel, last week, claiming the historic site is holding the bones of a biblical prophet. 

Israeli protesters entered the outer courtyard of Stella Maris Monastery, scaring worshipers as they were participating in group prayer, according to the Middle East Monitor. 

It was the latest in a series of attempts to enter and occupy the monastery, which the protesters claim houses the remains of the biblical prophet Elijah, according to Catholic News Agency.

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The Islamic-Christian Committee in Support of Jerusalem and its Sanctuaries released a condemnation of the demonstration, comparing it to other incidents in recent weeks.

“The claim that there are graves for Jews in churches is a pretext for seizing and Judaising them, which is an aggression similar to what is being done in Al-Aqsa Mosque,” the committee wrote.

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“This new allegation comes in the context of the repeated attacks by Jewish religious groups targeting the Christian presence, desecrating and (vandalizing) Christian holy places and attacking and spitting on priests and monks in the streets.”

Catholic leaders have traditionally claimed that Stella Maris Monastery’s altar is placed atop the site of Elijah’s cave dwelling mentioned in the Bible but deny the claim that the prophet’s remains are entombed there.

Catholics and other Christians believe Elijah was assumed body-and-soul into heaven at the end of his life.

Stella Maris Monastery is now investing in iron fencing to surround the complex and help prevent disruptive crowds in the future.

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Prelates of the Catholic Church have begun to voice frustration with the Israeli government in recent weeks, claiming a lack of action toward harassment of Christians in the region.

“We expect and demand that the Israeli government and law enforcement agencies act decisively to guarantee security for all communities, to guarantee the protection of religious minorities and to eradicate religious fanaticism,” the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land said previously of the increased tensions between Jews and Christians in Israel.

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Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, similarly criticized the Israeli government in April during Easter Week.

“The frequency of these attacks, the aggressions, has become something new,” Pizzaballa said, according to LaCroix International. “These people feel they are protected … that the cultural and political atmosphere now can justify, or tolerate, actions against Christians.”