The Iglesia ni Cristo announced on Friday that Executive Minister Eduardo V. Manalo officiated a special worship service of an INC locale in Jerusalem in Israel, the center and birthplace of Christianity.
INC spokesperson Edwil Zabala revealed that the service coincided with the 20th anniversary of the registration of the Iglesia in Israel.
This was a historic event for us. It was like a spiritual homecoming for our Executive Minister, to be at the heart of where Christinanity started and blossomed,” Zabala said.
Manalo’s Israeli visit also coincided with the ordination of 10 new ministers, which the spokesperson characterized as proof of the growing reach and influence of the Church in Europe and parts of the Middle East.
Both the service and the ordination were streamed live via video link to various INC chapels in the Philippines and throughout the world.
Manalo had also inaugurated several new chapels in North America earlier this year.
Last February and March, Manalo led the opening of 300-seating capacity edifices in Bakersfield, California, Jersey City, New Jersey and Orange Park, Florida.
A chapel in Lubbock, Texas had a 484-seating capacity for the main worship hall and another 150 people for the function hall, while another one in Regina, Canada accommodated 250 in the main hall and 100 in its function hall.
“The INC leadership is doing its best to fulfill the requests of our members to build new houses of worship in their areas. Our goal is to serve our brethren wherever they are and make them feel Christ’s and the Church’s presence in their own localities,” Zabala said.