On Friday, September 12, 2025 — His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, inaugurated the Annunciation Theological Institute at the Don Bosco Salesian Church in the city of Nazareth. The opening ceremony was attended by Msgr. Rafiq Nahra, Patriarchal Vicar for Galilee, Msgr. Bolous Marcuzzo, Archbishop Youssef Matta, Melkite Greek Catholic Archbishop of Acre, Haifa, Nazareth, and all Galilee, and Archbishop Moussa El-Hage, Maronite Archbishop of Haifa and the Holy Land, along with several priests and nuns.
The Annunciation Theological Institute in Nazareth, operating under the supervision of the President and Council of Catholic Bishops in the Holy Land, is the first of its kind in the city and the wider Galilee region. It is dedicated to the academic and spiritual exploration of the Catholic faith, and seeks to address theological, moral, social, and religious questions posed by contemporary society through the lens of divine revelation and Christian teaching. Given its location in the Holy Land, the institute places special emphasis on local church traditions, their pastoral roles, and interreligious understanding.
During the ceremony, Cardinal Pizzaballa expressed his joy at the opening of the institute, saying: "This is a wonderful day and the fulfillment of an old vision. This is something new that represents the voice of the Church in Galilee."
He added: "We discussed this initiative with the Catholic Bishops' Council and concluded the need for a theological center that serves the faithful—especially adults—since what we receive as children is not enough. We need to deepen our understanding of our faith. The more we delve into the Church and the faith, the deeper it becomes within our hearts."
Fr. Mounir Al-Ra'i, Director of the Institute, also shared his delight on this blessed occasion, stating: "Today is a blessed day for inaugurating this theological institute for laypeople, where mind meets spirit, and knowledge meets faith, to prepare men and women to serve the Gospel."
He concluded: "This place is not just walls—it is sacred ground that will plant God’s Word in you, nourish you through serious study, prayer, and reflection, and send you forth as ministers who carry the message of love and peace, and bear witness to Christ in their society and homeland."
The ceremony concluded with the faithful joining in praying the Lord’s Prayer, as taught by Jesus Christ, asking the Holy Spirit to enlighten the minds and hearts of all those involved in the institute and to bless their educational and pastoral mission—so that they may become a true beacon of faith and knowledge in the heart of Galilee and throughout the Holy Land.
