Jesus Christ, the God of Christian Orthodox people, lived and died in the Holy Land. Today, thousands people visit Jerusalem and the surrounding area in order to “experience” how their religious leader lived and was crucified.
Someone would expect that many people living close to Jerusalem would be Christians, but Taybeh is the only Christian village left in the Holy Land. Statistics show a sharp fall in the number of Christians on the West Bank.
Taybeh is a small village, with less than 1500 inhabitants, which are all Christians. There is no mosque in the village. Three Christian communities – Roman Catholics, Greek Orthodox and Melkite Greek Catholics – live there.
Taybeh has deep roots in history. Its biblical name is Ephraim, through which Jesus Christ passed before his crucifixion. John 11:54 states that, “Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.”
The Roman Catholic priest of Taybeh says that there is a decrease in the number of visitors, but adds that he is never going to leave this place. “I will assure you that even if all the Christians of the Holy Land will leave, and I will remain alone, I will get married, we will start another new generation.”
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