St. George is said to have come from the Holy Land, and Christians there keep his feast day. A couple of years ago some of us stayed in Bethlehem and were shocked by the Wall that separates Israel from Palestine. It runs close to and through parts of Bethlehem, cutting off some people from their farms or orchards. For locals leaving Bethlehem, it can be a very uncomfortable experience trying to cross it. While we were there we had a talk from one of the local reps of Friends of the Holy Land, and they have written to us recently asking for help. Local services which were not great anyway have been badly hit by the measures brought on as a result of the coronavirus. One of the most difficult is the lack of money. The banks are closed to all but business, the ATMs are empty and shops only take cash, so FotHL have been helping local families with small amounts of cash to keep the poorer families going.
Kendal Catholic Priest 