"We have chosen to create a museum because the situation, already complicated in the fragile balance between the various people who make up the Holy Land, is now even more difficult."
It is thanks to the love and work of Father Stephane Milovitch, Franciscan, President of the Holy Sepulchre and director of the Office of Cultural Heritage of the Custody of the Holy Land, that we will be able to see the splendid altar of Calvary restored. The result of the restoration will be exhibited in Florence starting from mid-September, at the Marino Marini museum.
Father Stephane, how can a museum create dialogue?
One of the missions of the Church is to become a bridge that unites the various populations; the Terra Sancta Museum in Jerusalem is an expression of this vocation, as is the project for its expansion. To the already existing archaeological section we will soon add a historical section, which will house objects of great value.
Dialogue is a path of peace that we Franciscans have been following for centuries: since the middle of the sixteenth century we have dedicated ourselves to the opening of schools in the Holy Land, schools that hosted and educated Christian, Jewish, Muslim children and young people... They were places of meeting and exchange. Even today, although very limited, the presence of the Church in the Holy Land constitutes, for the local populations, an important point of reference both for welfare works and for the educational and cultural dimension.
The Terra Sancta Museum houses numerous works from Europe; This makes it a place of identity for the many Jewish communities that live here, as they can find and recognize their European roots there. Even for Muslims, the museum is a place to find their own history: the numerous firmans preserved today are precious documents, witnesses of a past in which their present has its roots. It is evident, therefore, the desire to include the different peoples who make up the mosaic of the Holy Land, to make the museum a bridge of dialogue and peace.
What role does the altar of Calvary play in this mission?
Even the altar, donated by Ferdinand I de' Medici to the Holy Sepulchre and now restored and ready to be exhibited, is a witness to the tension towards dialogue: one could say that the altar itself is a bridge, because it unites two places, two times and two civilizations.
The upper part was created in Florence, at the end of the 1500s, while the lower part was made some time later in Jerusalem, by the artisans of the Convent of San Salvatore. This dualism makes the altar an emblem of the museum and its mission: the dual nature of the work connects and unites the Church of Jerusalem and the European Church, two souls that, together, form a complete unity.
What function does the dialogue between East and West play, what contribution does it make to the Church?
The Church of Jerusalem, as a Mother Church, plays a fundamental role in keeping alive the tradition and historical memory of Christianity; on the other hand, the European Church has a key role in responding to modern challenges and in spreading the Christian message in ever new and dynamic contexts.
I believe that the complementarity between East and West is essential for the universal Church: it is the balance between tradition and renewal that allows the Church to remain alive in every age, to continue to turn to the present.
What is the space of culture today in the Holy Land?
Often, unfortunately, culture is considered a superfluous luxury; However, it is precisely through culture that mutual understanding is built, dialogue is promoted and the ability to live with differences is developed, and thus the ground is prepared for peace, the ultimate and most important goal.
This is precisely the soul of the Terra Sancta Museum and the exhibitions we are setting up. Introducing people to such an important heritage to our history means creating opportunities for recognition and contact between people: it is with this educational and dissemination mission that we have planned five or six exhibitions to be set up in the coming years, to anticipate the opening of the new section of the museum.
The Terra Sancta Museum is a project that Pro Terra Sancta has been supporting and promoting for several years.
