The Gethsemane compound, with the garden of the Agony, the Basilica and the grotto, it’s one of the most significant holy places in the Holy Land. To walk through it, means to walk through the Gospel. John it’s clear about the fact that this is the place where Christ’s Passion, well described by Mark as […]
Today we celebrate the Transfiguration. Come with us on a virtual tour of Mount Tabor, one of the most charming and serene contemplation sites of the Holy Land. It’s a treasure chest of history and tradition. You don’t want to miss it! Mount Tabor, a 588 meters high hill, 8 kilometres from Nazareth, is one […]
by Giacomo Pizzi Despite being very tired, the heat stops us from sleeping at night: the 7 AM alarm is somehow relieving. Today we have scheduled a visit to 12 beneficiaries’ families, some of the victims of the explosion of Beirut’s harbour in August 2020. A quick breakfast and we are in the office to […]
by Giacomo Pizzi People living in Lebanon during its worst economic and sanitary crisis, explained to me what is really happening. Talking with my colleagues, volunteers and the beneficiaries of our projects in Beirut, a terrifying scene came to life. I need to hurry. I need to write a report on the deep roots of […]
by Giacomo Pizzi We landed in Beirut at 22.30 from Istanbul. We have been traveling since 11 AM and only took off the mask for eating. At the passport control the queue is neverending: there is a crowd of at least 200 people, mostly families with screaming kids tortured by the infinite waiting. The trip […]
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is the heart of the Christianity and of Jerusalem. Here took place the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That’s why, today as in the past, the church was a must-be place for all the pilgrims. Today we would like to discuss big and small curiosities about the […]
A lady looks from afar: four scout boys are moving colourful chairs and some musicians are extracting their instruments from the cases. Perplexed, she’s asking herself how she will be able to move her car with stalls and a stage blocking the way. Waving Vincenzo asks her to come over. “There is a music night […]
A few minutes from Bethlehem, protected by the sands of the Judean desert, there is a cool and peaceful garden: the garden of the convent of the Sisters of Our Lady of the Hortus Conclusus. The Hortus Conclusus The idyllic green space owes its name to the Mary of Hortus Conclusus, venerated in Liguria especially […]
At her desk in Pro Terra Sancta offices in Damascus, our clerck Eva is furiously typing on the keyboard of her laptop. She’s running a marathon against time: soon the battery will be dead but this mail has to be sent. For Eva, our staff and the entire syrian population it’s important to let the […]
The light emergency in Syria is still a reality: only 2 hours of electricity and only enough Watt to keep 2 lightbulbs working. What would be an unbearable situation for most of us, for Ayham, a Pro Terra Sancta employee in Damascus, is the daily reality: “You cannot imagine how negative is the impact of […]
Two hours with electricity each day. Two Ampere each week for a total of 2€, 3.000 Syrian Pounds. Public electricity is enough for 4 lightbulbs, or 1 lightbulb and a fridge, to work for, again, just two hours, usually around midday and midnight. Then lights turn off in Syria. The night compares to the energy […]
The escalation of violence taking place in these days requests a huge humanitarian effort in the short term. Our Association is supporting the Holy Land, beautiful but wounded, without losing its identity: a charity whose mission is to foster bonds and build Peace. We asked Carla Benelli, Pro Terra Sancta Responsible for Preservation and Development […]
Here is the 2020 Budget and Social Report approved by the General Assembly of the pro Terra Sancta Association on April 29, 2021. The Social Report was prepared in line with the Third Sector reform, pursuant to art. 14 of the Legislative Decree n. 117/2017. Financial statements Notes to financial statements Mission report Auditors report […]
Bombardment on Gaza is still going on. Electricity comes and goes and it’s not easy for Ft. Romanelli to stay online and tell us what is going on over there. The urgency of communicating to everyone what the situation in one of the places most hitted by the escalation of violence currently tormenting the Holy […]
1682 injured Palestinians, 83 deaths -17 kids- and 487 injured in Gaza alone. 7 Israeli fatalities -2 kids- and 281 injured. The official data by the United Nation Office for the Coordination of Human Affairs is overwhelming but cannot describe how tense the situation is in Jerusalem and in all the Country. At this very […]
Surprising the new discoveries of the project “Books bridges of Peace”, headed by Professor Barbieri, director of the CRELEB centre – Holy Heart Catholic University of Milan- in collaboration with the Holy Land Custody and Pro Terra Sancta Association. In spite of the pandemic, the projects still brings up great results: see for example the […]
After the recent trip of my colleagues Giacomo and Libero, I chose to spend Easter in Lebanon and Syria. It was a very important experience as it allowed me to bring affection and support to the still suffering people. The situation in Syria, as cardinal Zenari confirmed, is terrible. When I met him he spoke […]
The Way of the Cross begins with kids screaming and playing in the courtyard of the al-Omariyya Islamic school. Hidden in the underground, below the feet of pupils and pilgrims, the remains of a huge roman fort. The once majestic rectangular building with four towers known as Antonia Fortress stood in the north-west corner of […]