Easter is now close. The Christian communities in Jerusalem are excited: the arrangements for the liturgies are bustling, the choir is completing the rehearsal, Churches and Sanctuaries are finally ready to welcome, after two years of pandemic, a great number of pilgrims. Even the shops along the Christian streets are preparing themselves: they are being […]
Living the Holy Week in the places of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ is a very special moment. In fact, it is in Jerusalem, that the places of the Christian faith are located and it is not surprising that every year thousands of believers and pilgrims gather here to follow the numerous celebrations […]
Living Easter in the Holy Land means to see first-hand the places of the life and Resurrection of Christ, breathing the origin of the Christian faith. In the land where God became man, a solemn and shared atmosphere is experienced during this period of Lent. All the pilgrims who follow the Christian celebrations in the […]
Today the Church celebrated the Annunciation of the Lord to a young woman from the small village of Nazareth. It is here where the divine Word became flesh in the womb of the Virgin betrothed to Joseph. The place of the Annunciation through the Archangel Gabriel is Nazareth for sure, and the Greek-Orthodox tradition considers […]
On Monday the 14th it was held the inauguration ceremony for the restoration works of the pavement of the Holy Sepulchre Church in Jerusalem. Full support was given by the three Christian Communities of the Holy Land: the Greek Orthodox, the Catholic and the Armenian one. In fact, some of the highest officials of all […]
Today marks the eleventh anniversary of the Syrian civil war, which began on March 15, 2011. It is estimated that as a result of the outbreak of the conflict, about 84% of the Syrian population lives below the poverty line. More than 14 million people are affected by the humanitarian crisis, and 57% of survivors […]
In these three weeks of conflict between Russia and Ukraine, there have been numerous references and comparisons in the news – often misused – with the Russian military operations in Syria and Chechnya. There has been talk of similar military tactics adopted in past conflicts, of weapons used, and comparisons have been made between the […]
From the queens, prostitutes, warriors and saints of the past to the commitment of today’s women in Palestinian civil society. There are few women we remember in our mythical or lived past, and those few are often mentioned just because they acted like men. This is also true for the territory of ancient Palestine, an […]
The youngsters in Lebanon might be in harsh pain; their stories are similar to dark alleys, in this country situation. It is good to shed some light on them. Some people have been struggling long before this burdensome economic crisis, and their situation today is even worse. The thought alone of children, teens, and young […]
“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven”. (Matthew 6:1). Today’s Gospel, which commemorates the Ash Wednesday, the first day of Easter. It can be found in the famous “Sermon on the Mount”, that […]
Where does Carnival come from? Italy and most of the world are celebrating the lively Carnival in these days. The streets of Europe, United States, Canada and South America are ready to welcome exuberant colors, traditional costumes, masks and a lot of joy, which will culminate in the Shrove Tuesday. The celebration of Carnival was […]
“And there was light”, Vincenzo Bellomo, the head of Pro Terra Sancta’s projects in Palestine, jokingly observes as he sees the light bulbs hanging on the walls of the Dar al-Majus Community Home light up. It is indeed one of the final adjustments to the structure, which is now ready to be furnished and then, […]
For a month now, travel to the Holy Land has finally resumed , and with them pilgrimages to this region. Tourists now arrive in large numbers every day and can visit the Holy Places and pray on the sites that have hosted episodes from the life of the Lord Jesus. Journeys to the Holy Land […]
“Let’s turn on a light for Aleppo”. This could be the urgent call we are getting from Syria. And it is the cry we have answered. The background Over the last few weeks of winter, frost has engulfed the Middle East. In Lebanon, temperatures have fallen below zero within a few days and for two […]
The whole Middle East is freezing these days. Temperatures have plummeted abundantly below freezing, snow has descended to whiten everything, ice bites the roads, reduces the muddy ground to a stone slab. Frost in Syria In Syria, the situation, already compromised, has precipitated due to frost. This is not good news for all the people […]
In Aleppo, Syria, A name and a future is the project that Pro Terra Sancta has set up together with Binan Kayyali, PhD in psychology, for the assistance to women and children traumatized by the clashes that have paralyzed the city. Manal talks about it, a woman assisted by the project, who tells what A […]
“Lebanon is overwhelmed by an unprecedented crisis”, “Lebanon is experiencing a political and institutional drama on the verge of collapse”, “Lebanon is in a situation of poverty with no escape”… How many times have similar phrases caught the eye, while appearing here and there in the newspapers or on the pages of sites that, like […]
Today we recall the Conversion of Saint Paul, which took place on the road between Jerusalem and Damascus (Acts 9:3-7). Damascus is the capital of Syria, and just outside the ancient town stands a rather modern building that preserves, intact, a few meters of a Roman road paved in stone. This is claimed to be […]
The shadow of poverty and the light of Mary. The Witness of Father Ibrahim “The situation in the city of Aleppo is plummeting every day, and casts a shadow over the daily lives of poor people who are out of breath after more than ten years of what is called ‘the Syrian crisis’. Electricity comes […]
La Siria, insieme a Libano, Egitto e Giordania, sono considerati parte di quell’area del Medio Oriente nota come Terra Santa. Questo non solo perché in Siria si svilupparono le prime comunità cristiane e qui ebbero inizio i viaggi e le predicazioni di san Paolo dopo la conversione a Damasco, ma anche per l’importanza di tutta l’area […]