Until 135 AD it remained exactly where it was. Then the Emperor Hadrian razed Jerusalem to the ground. Since then, much has happened. Holy Sepulchre: Two thousand years of History Few places in the world carry with them the weight of as many centuries as the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. Until 135 […]
Amidst the wounds of the Middle East, Director Tommaso Saltini reflects on the mission of Pro Terra Sancta: a message of gratitude and a vision where charity becomes the tool to build a concrete peace. Dear friends and supporters of Pro Terra Sancta, The fragility characterizing the entire Eastern Mediterranean region makes your help in […]
Why Do We Keep Rebuilding? A Deep Reflection on the Meaning of Our Work in the Middle East Why do you always rebuild? What is the point of doing it, if someone comes to destroy it every time?” This is a question we are often asked during meetings where we share our work. It is […]
The Holy Sepulchre is closed. No pilgrims or tourists enter; the continuous flow of people that usually moves through that place has stopped. But inside, the friars are still there. They pray, they celebrate, they guard. They stay. It is a simple word, almost poor. And yet, it says so much more than many others. […]
In Lebanon, I realized that one’s presence is already an answer: the deepest sense of a mission is, quite simply, to be there. Martina Murachelli works within our project office and returned to Italy a few days ago, just before Lebanese airspace was closed to civilian flights. Her return coincides with a phase of extreme […]
“Another Middle East” returns: a story from El Minya, Egypt, where Christian faith today challenges poverty and the exodus of the young. A Millennial Faith Between the Nile and the Desert The road toward Upper Egypt starting from Cairo cuts through fields and remote villages: a narrow strip of green squeezed between the Nile and […]
The rebirth of the most famous ‘desert castle’ in Jericho through the partnership between Michele Piccirillo and Osama Hamdan: a friendship that transformed mosaic restoration into a powerful tool for empowerment for the youth of Palestine. The “Desert Castle”: A Crossroads of History in Palestine Built in the 8th century AD by Caliph Hishām of […]
In Syria, there often seems to be room only for survival or the humanitarian sector—a paradox that frequently stifles talent and aspirations. But in Damascus, Madline and Elias challenged this logic. In Damascus, Madline and Elias Abozaid both worked for an NGO. In Syria, the humanitarian sector is often the only one that guarantees a […]
From Rojava’s democratic experiment to the new offensives of 2026: Luigi Mariani recounts six years in Syria, navigating resistance and betrayed hopes. A profound analysis of the Kurdish people, who have “no friends but the mountains.” The beginning of 2026 presents us with a picture of a country where the hands of history seem to […]
In Jordan, children arriving from Iraq after 2019 are not recognized as refugees and are excluded from public schools. To guarantee them a future, we welcome them into our facilities. Tariq Rezeqallah, project manager in the country, tells us more. The Difficult Fate of Children Fleeing Iraq Since the start of the Gulf War in […]
In East Aleppo, school provides a sanctuary for those who have lived only through war. At the Shaar center, Mohammad and Ghina are returning to school. The Right to Education in Aleppo The situation in Syria remains dramatic. This is evidenced by the war that broke out in early January which, despite the ceasefire reached […]
Over 140,000 displaced in Aleppo as clashes intensify. While shelling traps civilians in Kurdish districts, our soup kitchen remains active, providing meals and shelter to those fleeing the violence. Instability grows from Damascus to Aleppo Syria, from Damascus to Aleppo, is undergoing a phase of profound instability. One year after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s […]
One year after Assad’s fall, Syria and Damascus face severe political and economic challenges. Damascus Without a Regime One year after the collapse of the Assad regime, which had ruled the country for over forty years through the al-Assad family, Syria remains trapped in a phase of deep political, economic, and social instability. Between December […]
Mohammad holds the notebook steady with his left hand and the blue pen with his right, as if it were something obvious, natural. The classroom is bare: a white wall cut by a faded blue stripe, plastic chairs, a table that wobbles, set up in a makeshift way. And he, with his light denim shirt […]
In Medio Oriente, la crisi colpisce famiglie e bambini tra povertà e scuole inagibili. In Palestina e Siria, sosteniamo ogni giorno 4.200 famiglie, garantendo accesso alla scuola, educazione e protezione. Palestina oggi: tra prospettive di pace e conflitto ancora in corso La Palestina oggi sta attraversando una fase di cambiamento inatteso. Nei Territori Palestinesi — […]
“The collaboration with CREA made me realize that a museum for Palestinians can be much more than a place of preservation: it can become an open and accessible space for everyone.” With these words, Yazan Jaber, a palestinian educator and illustrator from the Hakayet Turath Team, captures the spirit of a process that is redefining […]
Pope Leo XIV will visit Lebanon from November 30 to December 2, a balm for a country that has struggled for years with political and economic stagnation and that resists despair, despite the devastation caused by Israeli bombardments in the recent war against Hezbollah. We recount this in this brief reportage from Lebanon. The waters […]
Gaza: “land of crossings, land of paths.” Ancient Gaza, once flourishing: today a land to be saved. The “Gaza Strip” owes its name to the size and shape of the territory indicated by this toponym: a strip, a thin piece of land jutting into the Mediterranean Sea. Just over 360 km² of land, beach, and […]
“I too have been faithful to my word: since I did not see you I have not rung the bells again” Interviewer Let’s start from the beginning. That is: when did you discover that you had the vocation and entered the Order of Francis? Where was your vocation born and how was it born? Msgr. […]
“In Italy you always feel safe; Here, however, there is always the idea that something can happen” From Italy to Lebanon: daily precariousness Silvia Zucconelli works in the Projects Office of Pro Terra Sancta, and four months ago she moved from Milan to Beirut to follow the launch of a new project funded by the […]