His Beatitude Fouad Twal, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Auxiliary Bishops, clergy, religious, and faithful of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem (Israel, Palestinian Territories, Jordan and Cyprus) are deeply saddened by the death of His Eminence John Patrick Cardinal Foley, Grand Master Emeritus of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem on Sunday December 11, 2011.

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The recent Middle East Synod (see Jan./Feb. 2011 Washington Report, p. 42) has helped focus the churches' attention on the vanishing Christian population in the Holy Land.

For two thousand years, Christian communities have thrived there. Yet, over the last 60 years, their population has gone from their historical level of around 18 percent to less than 2 percent today. Never have the Christian communities in the Middle East been as close to extinction as they are now. According to Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal, "the future of the Church in the Holy Land is now in doubt unless fellow Christians around the world step up efforts to help them."

So why are these communities, long rooted in the historic land of their faith, now choosing to leave? And what does that mean for Christianity in the land where Jesus was born and preached?

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LONDON, DEC. 7, 2010 (Zenit.org).- This past year, members of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem sent almost €8 million ($10.7 million) in donations to the Holy Land.

Cardinal John Foley, grand master of the order, reported this Saturday in London at a lieutenancy meeting regarding the projects the organization is supporting.

He noted the commitment of the order "to the continued existence of a Christian presence in the Holy Land, defined as Israel, Jordan, the Palestinian Territories and Cyprus."

Part of this funding went to support Benedict XVI's visit to Cyprus earlier this year, and another is going to help in the construction of a Latin Catholic church in Aqaba, Jordan.