This Sunday is a special time to pray for the Anglican church in Iran and neighboring countries.  On the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, December 4th is when the church worldwide will pray for the Province of The Episcopal Church in Jerusalem & The Middle East. (Despite its name, the province is not part of The Episcopal Church here in the US).

The Diocese of Iran is the smallest–and most beleaguered–of the province’s three dioceses.  There are only four parishes in Iran and they are all currently closed.  The church has been harassed by the country’s Islamic authorities since the revolution in 1978-79; the Anglican bishop at that time even went into exile in the UK after attacks on his family.  (Fun fact: that bishop’s daughter is now herself a bishop in the Church of England.)  The Diocese of Iran has lacked a resident bishop since 2019, has not had a pastoral visit since that same time, and has limited ability to communicate with outsiders. 

The province’s other two dioceses are more vibrant and actively pursue various ministries.

• The Diocese of Jerusalem extends across Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria.  Through a network of guest houses, the diocese has a robust welcoming ministry to pilgrims visiting the Holy Land.  One such guest house is located in Jerusalem at St. George’s Cathedral, which our own parish pilgrims will visit this coming spring.  We also have a connection to the diocese through a US charity–American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem (AFEDJ)—which financially supports diocesan schools, hospitals, and facilities for children with disabilities.  Rev. David Smith is a former board member of AFEDJ.
• The Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf has about two dozen parishes scattered across its vast expanse.  Given the comparatively few Anglicans in the region, it is common for them to share worship space with other Christian denominations.  For example, on a typical Friday (the principal day of worship), the Anglican Centre in Qatar serves about 85 different Christian groups totaling about 14,000 people from 63 countries.  Most members of the diocese are expatriate migrants rather than native to the region.

Mindful that this is the region where Jesus walked in human form but which has also seen millennia of religious strife, this collect is offered for prayer on Sunday: God of all times and places, you sent your incarnate Son to the Middle East to live among us and to the holy city of Jerusalem to reveal his glory: bless and renew the faith of today’s people in The Episcopal Church in Jerusalem & The Middle East so that they may love and live in harmony with their neighbors and enjoy the freedom to ever praise your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray, now and always. Amen.

This post was written by our Deacon in Training, Mary Cushing