Yesterday, the Aleppo Summer Camp resumed its term, which had been interrupted by the escalation of violence in the previous week. Dozens of rockets have been fired at, and caused great damage in the area around the Franciscan Saint Anthony School (one of the properties of the Custody, which in recent years has been supported […]

Online for a few days now is a digital exhibit put together by the General Library of the Custody of the Holy Land, titled “Telling the Tale: Fr. Agustín Arce, Librarian in the Holy Land.” This project was born out of a collaboration between the Custody of the Holy Land and CRELEB – the Center for European […]

“12 years as Guardian of Mt. Zion and the Holy Sepulcher.” This is the subject of the special video produced by the Christian Media Center concerning Fr. Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Custos Emeritus of the Holy Land and now the newly nominated Apostolic Administrator for the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Elected Custos in May 2004, Pierbattista Pizzaballa […]

The Mosaic Art Training Course continues to flourish. A new initiative launched by the Association pro Terra Sancta in collaboration with the Mosaic Centre of Jericho, the course has as its mission the development of employment opportunities and the local economy in the city of Bethlehem. The Training Course is a small piece of a much […]

“I am a mother, and for the whole day I am busy with my children, cleaning and housekeeping, and this activity gives a new dimension to my time. Now I am happy to work and to be an artist making hand-made goods.” These are the words of Ameera, after having seen the first results of […]

One month after the visit of Pope Francis to the island of Lesbos, we present two stories of Syrian refugees who arrived to Rhodes and Kos, two of the islands most affected by the serious humanitarian emergency. Here the friars of the Custody of the Holy Land are carrying out various activities to aid the […]

A delegation of the Commissariat of the Holy Land in Tuscany visited Bethlehem in April, led by Fr. Matteo Brena OFM. The delegation stayed at the guest house “Baby Jesus “ managed by the Antonian Society, located just below the home for elderly people. During the visit the delegation decided to donate all the contributions […]

The Terre Sainte College in Aleppo, supported by the Association pro Terra Sancta, was hit on the evening of May 21, by jihadist missiles. An elderly woman died and two others were seriously injured. The place hosts about 20 elederly women in total. Father Firas Lutfi, the Franciscan superior of the College, writes: “At about six in the […]

“Yesterday during Mass, Aleppo was hit by many missiles; several exploded in our area. A lot of people died and many more were wounded, in addition to the deaths and injuries of the past days.” We keep on receiving messages of this kind from the friars in Aleppo. They are worried, frightened. It’s been a […]

On 11, 12 and 13 of May the ‘Palestinian Mosaic International Conference’ will take place in Jericho, Sabastiya, Ramallah and Bethany. For the first time ever, international mosaic experts, along with professors and local experts, will (as stated in the invitation) come together “to assess the state of mosaic art in Palestine, including the external […]

Pope Francis and the Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew visited the Island of Lesvos on Saturday April 16, to meet with the many refugees gathered there. The gesture has been defined: “A strong message to both men of power and of goodwill”. Nearby, on the Islands of Rhodes and Kos, the Friars of the Custody of the […]

Two weeks after the opening of the new multimedia installation on the Via Dolorosa, the Franciscans of the Holy Land are really satisfied with the result. The multimedia section of the museum about the Way of the Cross in Jerusalem is having a great success: more than 1000 people have visited it and were enthusiastic about […]

“In the Resurrection of Christ we see the light which he carries in this world of darkness. We want to carry that same light as Christians. We do not want to change the world, but we want to tell the world that we are changed. We want to tell everyone that we have been changed, and […]

Fr. Firas Lufti is superior of the Franciscan community at the Terra Sancta College of Aleppo. He is also parochial victor of the Parish of St. Francis of Assisi, now a reference point for many in the city, Christian and otherwise. In an interview he tells us about himself and the work of the Franciscans […]

Last week, the first selection interviews for  the Mosaic Centre Training Course, took place in the offices of the Association pro Terra Sancta in Bethlehem. The Mosaic Centre Training Course is an intensive master specialization in mosaic arts, and is part of the collaborative project with the Mosaic Centre Jericho and the CEI – Committee for […]

Press release – opening TSM Via Dolorosa Three, two, one… Terra Sancta Museum! On March 17, the first section of a unique museum will open up in Jerusalem (Monastery of the Flagellation). This will be the first exhibition showing the Christian roots and the history of the Holy Places inside the Old City. The opening section […]

Once you enter the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher, just climb a few stairs to access the small chapel belonging to the Franciscans, next to the spot where the crucifixion of Jesus took place. You will see several iridescent mosaics here, depicting various biblical scenes. These mosaics though “need maintenance, cleaning and restoration on a […]

(from Christian Media Center) On February 11, on the World Day of the Sick, the solemn liturgical celebration took place in the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth. The mass was presided over by Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski, special envoy of the Holy Father and President of the Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral Care, together with […]

Today 11 February the 24th WORLD DAY OF THE SICK 2016 is solemnly celebrated in Nazareth. In the meantime, various celebrations took place in the Holy Land. On Monday His Eminence William Shomali, Archbishop of Jerusalem and patriarchal vicar, held a solemn mass in Bethlehem in the Church of St. Catherine, together with a representative of the Pontifical Council of Rome. The most […]

I hope that, with generous solidarity, they are lent the necessary help to ensure their survival and dignity and I appeal to the international community to not save any effort to urgently bring to the negotiating table, the parties. Only a political solution of the conflict will be able to guarantee a future of reconciliation […]