Message from Dean Richard Sewell

Greetings from Jerusalem and from all the staff of St George’s College.

Whilst the situation in the Holy Land is still one of great pain, the College believes that it is possible to offer safe pilgrimages again. With all that has been suffered and continues, pilgrimages should be different and must be an act of solidarity with Palestinian Christians who have especially suffered with the lack of pilgrims during the period of this fearful war.

The Dean’s Easter Message

January 2025 brought the best news for which we had been praying and yearning, for many months – a ceasefire in Gaza which brought the first nights of respite for the battered residents of the Strip for over a year. Prisoner exchanges by both sides brought joy and relief but also grief, and in some cases, anger. But at least it felt as if some positive progress was being made. But relief was all too short and the ceasefire failed to progress to stage two. To our deep distress the bombing and killing started again and the prisoner exchange halted.

Lent started with relief but ended in grief. Thus, we enter into the season of Easter in a state of fear and agony with the peace and the hope of justice still a distant prospect. While the peoples of Israel and Palestine continue in a state of war, the day-to-day situation in Jerusalem and in the Galilee is far less dangerous than it has been through most of the time since October 2023. As a result, some pilgrim groups are tentatively returning to the Holy Land. Pilgrimages cannot yet operate as they did before the war began but in the College we feel able to say that it is now a good time to begin to plan a pilgrimage with us for later in the year and for next year because the travel restrictions put in place by many countries such as the USA, Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand have been lifted.

The peoples of these lands desperately need the return of pilgrims. Those dependent on the pilgrim/tourist business have endured the deprivations of COVID, followed by the severe financial impact of eighteen months of war. Planning a pilgrimage now will give grounds for a little optimism for the beleaguered peoples of Israel/Palestine. A pilgrimage with St George’s College gives a chance to demonstrate Christian solidarity with Palestinian Christians and spending time with our communities throughout the land will be an important part of any pilgrimage in these days. At certain quiet periods while numbers are still low, a personally planned pilgrimage for a small group may be possible. Please contact me directly about this, if desired.

We have reissued the College courses schedules which have some alterations. All booking can be made on our Registration Page.

With continuing thanks for our worldwide community of support, we send you Easter greetings of resurrection joy.

The Very Revd Canon Richard Sewell Dean

Over these past months, College Course Director, Revd. Rodney Aist and I have been making short on-site films to coincide in with the church’s liturgical calendar. All of these can be seen on the College’s YouTube channel (search ‘Richard Sewell’). We hope that in the absence of the opportunity to come on one of our study pilgrimages that these films will keep you connected to us and to the beauty and spiritual enrichment of the Land of the Holy One.

We are sharing this rich resource partly because the current very grave and distressing situation in Gaza, the West Bank and throughout the region means that it is impossible for us to run pilgrimages. There are virtually no pilgrims in the Holy Land in these days. Of course, this is creating a very challenging financial environment for us. There is no charge for the use of our on-site films either as an individual or for church groups, but if it inspires you or your church to make a donation, however small it may be, we would be most grateful.

May God bless us all and lead us in peace to a place of justice and reconciliation.