The course for parents organized for parents as part of the ATS pro Terra Sancta project “Education and training to aid children in difficulty in Bethlehem and their families” has just ended with a resounding success. The project was financed by the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI). As a result of the course’s large enrollment and […]

Message from the organizers: The Accademia delle Opere will perform in Bethlehem at Christmas. This project came to life some months ago, when Father Armando Pierucci, organ player of the Holy Sepulchre – together with Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Franciscan Custodian of the Holy Land – contacted our Academy. It was a great honour, which led to […]

To protect and safeguard the cultural heritage of the Old City of Jerusalem: this is the objective of the program initiated by ATS pro Terra Sancta, the NGO of the Custody of the Holy Land, in collaboration with the United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture. The project, approved on 16 November 2010, provides […]

“Education and culture are two formidable instruments for promoting peace. And this is why we will continue to invest in the school and in education in this land.” With these words Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini inaugurated on Tuesday 23 November the multipurpose center at the Terra Sancta School in Jericho, a project realized thanks […]

An official visit to the Terra Sancta School in Jericho, one of the schools of the Custody of the Holy Land supported by ATA pro Terra Sancta: Minister Franco Frattini, on an official visit to the Middle East from 22 to 25 November, will be present at the inauguration of the “Multipurpose Hall” of the […]

The head of ATS Pro Terra Sancta is de jure the Custos of the Holy Land. P. Pierbattista Pizzaballa OFM  is the head of the Custody of the Holy Land, the Franciscan province in the Middle East. He is called a custos (“custodian”) because in 1342, the Pope entrusted the Franciscans of his province with the preservation of […]

The creation of a museum center for “Telling the Story of the Holy Land” by promoting knowledge of the history of Christianity in these sites and by providing information on the Franciscan presence and the work currently being carried out by the Custody: a project aimed at taking an inventory, recording and preserving an age-old […]

Videos, news, in-depth examinations and lots of pictures: Terrasanctablog, the new page dedicated to the Holy Land, is online at the address www.terrasanctablog.org. Terrasanctablog has been created with the aim of communicating the Holy Land, giving voice and visibility to local Christians and to the Holy Places and telling of their beauty and richness. The […]

Following the traces of John the Baptist: starting from his birthplace Ein Karem, to the Judean desert, up to Sebastia, the city of ancient Samaria which guards the tomb of Christ’s forerunner. Thanks to two videos by Alessandra Buzzetti, TG5 journalist, ATS pro Terra Sancta, upon completion of the renovation and training works funded by […]

In the Holy Land territory of the Palestinian Authority there is no public medical assistance. The family, which does not receive any help other than from the parish, has to find the way to take care of all types of illness of their children. If serious illness strikes (leukemia, tumors, kidney surgery or dialysis), the […]

“In Jerusalem, in the Holy City, the Franciscans for a long time, for many centuries have many housing units for the Christian community, for the living stones. And it is a place where memory and living stones coincide.” These are the words with which Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Custos of the Holy Land and President of […]

“Virtuous savings”: a project to support the music Institute Magnificat of the Custody of the Holy Land, the school in the very heart of Jerusalem Old City, where music and cohabitation are taught. The initiative, promoted by Garbini Consulting, will be introduced on November 12th at 11.30 a.m. at the Ambrosianeum in Delle Ore Street […]

In view of Christmas 2010, choose a solidarity gift to support the Holy Land by making a special gift to your beloved: “Cribs from the world” is a box with 10 Christmas cards, with envelopes, with the reproductions of pieces from a private collection of cribs from all over the world. The cards show images […]

Internet stations with attendants to help communicate with family people living abroad. And then tables for recreational activities, a dining room, a TV set and bathrooms equipped for the needs of the elderly. « Elderly day club » – this is the name of the structure now in the process of being renovated by Palestinian workmen within […]

“To give a contribution to the Palestinian society to face the delicate issue of disability helping those who wish to be more prepared for this type of work in a context as difficult as the Territories” – this is the objective of the first training course organised by Sami Basha, professor at the University of […]

“A book born from an act of love for an extraordinary man” – these are the words used by Father Giovanni Claudio Bottini to present the book in memory of the recently passed away Franciscan archaeologist “Michele Piccirillo, francescano archeologo, tra scienza e provvidenza” (Michele Piccirillo, Franciscan archaelogist, between science and providence), presented during the […]

Christmas is approaching. Have you already decided what gifts to make? Christmas has always made us more prone to give something, to express the affection for the people that are with us all year long with an act of giving. This year you can do more, if you want. You can make your Christmas and […]

Here are some stories from Bethlehem. The daily commitment in care and prevention activities by the  Franciscan Social Service Office of the Custody of the Holy Land supported by ATS pro Terra Sancta through the project for the elderly “Bethlehem and the elderly”, is fundamental in the Palestinian system, completely lacking in public and social […]

3160 is the number of students involved in the project launched by ATS pro Terra Sancta and AVSI in the Holy Land, financed by the Italian Ministry for Foreign Affairs. The initiative, aimed at school emergency relief in the Palestinian Territories in 5 schools in the Holy Land, will involve also 300 teachers and social […]

ATS pro Terra Sancta and the Custody of the Holy Land launch the campaign to collect Christmas funds to help the people most in need in Jesus’ birth town: the elderly and the children. To help the children in Jesus’ birth town and to protect the historical memory of Bethlehem by accompanying and taking care […]