Archbishop of Canterbury Makes First Pastoral Visit to Holy Land, Pledges to Fight for Palestinian Christians

Archbishop of Canterbury Dame Sarah Mullally arrived in Jerusalem on June 20, 2026, for a five-day pastoral visit. It is her first trip to the Holy Land since becoming Archbishop.

She met with Palestinian Christian leaders in the West Bank, including the Anglican Bishop of Jerusalem, the Most Rev. Hosam Naoum. At a press conference in Ramallah, she said Palestinian Christians deserve the freedom and dignity that every person is owed.

The visit came at a difficult moment. Ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas broke down earlier in the month, and fighting in Gaza has continued. Mullally said she came to listen and to stand in solidarity, not to offer political solutions.

She also met with Israeli religious leaders in Tel Aviv and visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. At each stop, she called for the protection of Christian communities across the region.

Reports from human rights groups have documented rising harassment of Christians in Israel, including vandalism of churches and restrictions on access to holy sites. Mullally said she raised these concerns directly with Israeli officials.

The Archbishop is expected to return to London on June 25. Her office said she will brief the British government on her findings.