For the first centuries of the Christian era, there was only one Church in Jerusalem, headed by a Patriarch. The Patriarch was called Orthodox only after the divisions within the universal Church reached the Holy Land. With the arrival of the Crusaders (1099), the Catholic Church established a Latin hierarchy. The Latin Patriarch was considered the only legitimate religious authority, since all other Churches were treated as heretic and schismatic. The Patriarch resided in Jerusalem until 1294, when the Crusaders’ rule ended. The title survived as a titular see until 1847, when a new Patriarch was sent to Jerusalem. During the long absence of a bishop, the Franciscans of the Custody of the Holy Land followed the life of the Church in Palestine. The Franciscans had an important role in keeping the Church alive, in promoting the various communities and offering catechetical support. In 1336, twelve Franciscans arrived in Jerusalem. They obtained from the sultan of Egypt the site of the Cenacle and the right to officiate at liturgies in the Holy Sepulchre. Among other provisions, it was established that they would exercise these rights on behalf of the Christian world. In 1342, Pope Clement VI approved this project and erected the Custody of the Holy Land. The friars did work tirelessly to support local communities and assist pilgrims. Up to today, they are in charge of most holy sites.

    The Latin Patriarchate was revived with the election of Bishop Giuseppe Valerga in 1847 and his arrival in Jerusalem on January 17th, 1848. The Patriarchate covered the whole of Palestine of the day, trans-Jordan and Cyprus. Also in 1848, Pope Pius IX re-established the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem to help the Christians of the Holy Land. In the intervening years, the Church is grown considerably both in the Holy Land and in Jordan. The faithful of the Patriarchate are 44.000 in the Holy Land and 35.000 in Jordan.
    The community is well organized and controls numerous institutions: educational, social, cultural, ecumenical, inter-religious, health centres … The local community is served by 70 parishes and more than 80 diocesan priests, to whom various religious priests, brothers and sisters (more than 1.700 members) have to be added. In 1987, after six Italian Patriarchs, Mgr Michel Sabbah, a Palestinian, has been elected Patriarch of Jerusalem. Besides Jerusalem, Nazareth and Amman are diocesan sees.
Mother Marie Alphonsine Ghattàs and Father Joseph Tannùs founded the Sisters of the Rosary of Jerusalem in 1880. The sisters are active in schools, pastoral work and education centres. Special mention goes to the ecumenical centre of Tantur, founded in 1964 as one of the fruits of Pope Paul VI’s visit to the Holy Land. In the year 2000, working in communion with the five Oriental Catholic Churches present within the Patriarchate, the local Church has prepared a Pastoral Plan shared by all.
The visits of Paul VI (1964) and John Paul II (2000) in the Holy Land, recent pastoral letters of the Catholic Patriarchs of the Middle East and other material prepared by the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, the joining of the Catholic Churches in the Council of Churches of the Middle East, all have promoted the ecumenical work at all levels. The local Christians live this dimension in sharing their lives, in solidarity, service and common moments of prayer. Many parishes in Palestine, Israel and Jordan have common celebrations, accept mixed marriages – often with the presence of ministers from the different Churches at the celebration of the sacrament –, share the Lenten season and the celebration of Easter.
The Latin Patriarchate is also the referral institution for other Catholic communities present in the Holy Land. Among them, we find the Coptic communities, the Catholics of Hebrew expression, the Russian Catholics and other national communities.