“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 […]

On the 6th of February a Papal Delegation has arrived in the Holy Land for the twenty-fourth World Day of the Sick which will take place in Nazareth on Thursday, 11 February. The Delegation is led by Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski President of the Pontificial Council for Health Care Workers. The theme chosen – Entrusting Oneself to […]

In Jordan, the Association pro Terra Sancta cooperates with the Franciscan Friars in Amman, the Latin parishes and other organizations to alleviate the humanitarian crisis of refugees fleeing from conflicted areas. They come from Syria, Iraq or Egypt. Mostly there are families of asylum seekers who have nothing, but a last shred of hope with […]

Monday 4 June in Jericho, at the local library, an Italian course for local youths began. The initiative arose from a request of Osama Hamdam, Director of the Mosaic Centre Jericho. According to the architect, who is also a professor at the University of Jerusalem and in charge of Preservation and Development projects for Association […]

The “Annual Report 2016” is now online. Thanks to the support of many donors and the voluntary contribution of so many skilled experts, in recent years, the Association pro Terra Sancta has grown considerably.

Jamila lives in the center of the old city of Bethlehem. She has to perch the ladder that leads to a sunny courtyard to reach her home. Her house is poor, but dignified. She has six children, among them five daughters. They are all married, only her 30-year-old son still lives with her. To this […]

(from custodia.org) On January 5, the Custos, Br. Pierbattista Pizzaballa and the secretary of the Custody, Br. Sergio Galdi, left St. Catherine’s Church after vespers. The program included visits to the Bethlehem communities who work with the Franciscans. They were accompanied by the main actors in this collaboration, Brs. Nerwan Al-Banna, Badie Elias and Luai […]

With the start of 2016 we are very happy to report a news published yesterday on the official website of the Custody of the Holy Land: Father Dhiya Azziz who had been kidnapped on 23 December, has finally been released. Meanwhile the humanitarian crisis in the country is getting worse; so there is an increasing call for […]

All the Christian Schools in Bethlehem  have had great Christmas celebrations. On the 22nd of December also at the kindergarten of the Aida refugee Camp the children and their families, both Muslims and Christians, celebrated all toghether despite the clashes and the tensions of these last months. The children prepared a play in which they […]