News Page 15

On the occasion of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Father Ibrahim Alsabagh sent us a letter to update us on the situation in Aleppo. In recent months, the parish priest of Aleppo has been facing a severe crisis due to the Coronavirus. Out of five friars in the mission, four have […]

2020 has been a complicated and uncertain year. The Covid-19 pandemic has deeply marked the lives of all, bringing more or less drastic changes in our habits and lifestyles. The global health crisis, with still no end in sight, has severely affected local and international mobility and consequently tourism. Tourism and related industries are in […]

While we follow with concern the pictures of a new fire in the Port of Beirut, destroyed by the terrible explosions in august that caused more than 200 deaths, we try to tell you the bond that unites the Franciscans to Lebanon. In fact, only by knowing their story we may understand the important role […]

On August 25th, a 48h curfew was introduced by the Gaza Strip’s Authority in response to the detection of the first four cases of Covid-19 in the territory. Up to that time, the number of cases (132 total cases, 72 healed, 3 deaths) was limited by the presence of “sanitary checkpoint” at the borders with […]

In these months of emergency for the COVID- 19 pandemic, two volunteers, Anna Carraro and Umberto Manganiello, in Civilian Service with Consorzio Icaro di Foggia and Association Pro Terra Sancta, continue to serve alongside the young children of Casa Hogar Niño Dios. The Hogar Niño Dios is a structure that has been welcoming children with […]

The Father Custos Francesco Patton describes the situation in Lebanon and about the Franciscan monastery in Beirut, that was hit by the explosion. “We hope, with the help of donors and benefactors, to rebuild the convent and help the victims and the many people left homeless,” says the Custos of the Holy Land. The tragedy […]

Just over a week after the terrible explosions that destroyed Beirut, the update on the situation of Father Firas Lutfi, Franciscan Minister of the San Paolo Region, returning from a trip to visit the communities in Syria. Beirut, one week later. We reach Father Firas Lutfi, Franciscan Minister of the San Paolo Region, who is […]

A kilometer and a half from the center of the blast, the Franciscan friary in Beirut suffered great damage, but thanks to God all the friars are well. “Fra Angelico’s room overlooking the port was destroyed, he was in the church fortunately, if he had been there he would have suffered serious injuries, but instead […]

Naame restores the 4th century mosaic, Ranan passes the protective material on the new mosaic made by the boys and girls of the Mosaic Centre, Raed checks the quality of the installation. A little further on, Adeel and Ahmad are in charge of the restoration of the tomb of Lazarus, Abu Ael of the remake […]

We knock on the door of the pottery workshop of Nisf Jubeil, the small village near the ancient city of Sebastia. The girls from the centre greet us shyly, asking for time to put the veil back on their heads. In a female-only environment, Muslim women are not required to cover their hair. The space […]

The Jerusalem that I see in these months is very different from the Jerusalem that welcomed me three years ago, at the beginning of my journey as a volunteer in the Pro Terra Sancta Association. The lively and colourful streets of the Old City, which had so fascinated my curious look as a young European […]

The health and economic crisis in Israel and Palestine is worsening because of Covid-19. “In Israel there is a daily growth of about 1,200 cases and in Palestine of over 400” says Vincenzo Bellomo, head of the projects of the Association pro Terra Sancta in Bethlehem. The Manger Square has seen neither tourists nor pilgrims […]

Since August 2019 Father Marwan has been the parish priest of Nazareth. After managing the Terra Santa Schools and the House of the Child in Bethlehem for many years, he now continues his mission in Galilee, in the Israeli city with the highest number of Christians. “Nazareth is a very large parish – abuna Marwan […]

Even the lockdown didn’t stop the protests in Lebanon. It is not only about online activism, in fact these days the population has taken to the streets again. Since October 17, 2019, there has been a long-standing discontent in the streets and social media in the country. Lebanon, like many countries in the Middle East, […]

Covid-19 cases in Bethlehem and more generally in Palestine have been increasing worryingly for some weeks. The registered number today is 3,485, higher than in March, when the local authorities decided to isolate Bethlehem and declare a state of emergency for the Coronavirus. The opening of the Nativity Church on May 26th seemed to mark […]