News Page 17

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 […]

The appeal of Father Hanna, the parish priest of Knayeh in the missions of the Orontes in Syria, is poignant: “Unfortunately things are not going very well here”, he said with honest simplicity. The villages of Knaye and Yacoubieh are in one of the areas most affected by the Syrian war. They are in the […]

The history of the cult of St. John the Baptist in the Holy Land, which is celebrated on 24 June, begins in the 4th century and takes place mainly in the sanctuaries erected above the presumed places of birth, ministry and death. In this short story we will take you to explore some of these […]

A new online meeting was held on Thursday 18 June “Syria: the hope that builds”, together with Father Ibrahim Alsabagh from Aleppo, an exceptional guest spoke: His Eminency Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco. The Cardinal, who we can certainly define as a great friend of Syria, with his presence, wanted to emphasize once again his closeness to […]

We visited Father Mario Hadchiti, principal of the Terra Santa School of Jericho. With him we talk about school, education and dialogue. The appeal to help schools in a moment of crisis. Father Mario Hadchiti, a Franciscan of Lebanese origin, is six feet of energy and creativity. Parish priest of Jericho, since 2013 he has […]

Father Bahjat from Damascus does not gild the pill: the situation in Syria is very serious. The tones are alarming: “I can say without exaggeration that today we have left the term poverty behind us, today we speak of misery”. The post-war economic crisis is getting worse as the days go by. Syria no longer […]

To know episodes, anecdotes, traditions and chronicles of a centuries-old history such as that of the Custody of the Holy Land the right person to turn to is certainly Father Narciso Klimas, responsible for the historical custodial archive. A well of knowledge and kindness that one could listen to for hours in telling the history […]