News Page 24

“We are lambs among wolves. Literally. Every evening we entrust our life to the Lord before sleeping, because we are very worried. Yet the next morning we wake up and see that our prayers have been fulfilled … In the same way we feel the power of your prayers for us. The Lord does not […]

Culture and books as a meeting occasion. This was demonstrated by the study day of January 16th, organized by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem at the Convent of San Salvatore. The Custody of the Holy Land hosted 30 boys, mostly Jews, from the Winter School of the Israel Institute for Advanced Studies who participated in […]

“From the observation of the mosaic we have deduced the best method to restore it. There is a solution to every problem: a lesson in work and life “. Paula tells us about her experience: together with other students from the Mosaic Center in Jericho and to the new students of the mosaic course in […]

In Israel there is a refugee “emergency” as well. It’s different from the one Europe is facing, of course, but significant. The largest waves of migration began at the end of the nineties and early 2000 due to the Eritrean independence on one side and the start of the dictatorial and military regime of Isaias […]

For all Italian volunteersnand workers who live in Bethlehem, Christmas also means “tombolata”. As usual in the rooms of the Hotel Casanova, after the Mass and a moment of reflection, we find ourselves for a dinner, rigorously of Italian cuisine, and immediately after one of the most awaited moments for adults and children: the game […]

Once more it’s Christmas time in Bethlehem, the whole city lights up for a party and it’s general cleaning. What once was a small town on the back of a hill looking towards the desert of Judah today is a large city that in its overall area welcomes, in the daily bustle, almost 200,000 inhabitants. […]

Placing the little houses, the sheep and the shepherd’s statues in the Crib, our imagination flies towards distant exotic landscapes, towards that ancient and rural village in the desert that was to be Bethlehem at the time of Jesus. Today, that which in the Gospel text is described as the last of the main cities […]

Thalathe…’ithnin… wahad…(three, two, one …) and magically the big Christmas tree in Manger square, Bethlehem, lights up; fireworks light up the starry sky and for five minutes all the faces of the people are turned upwards: many children climb on their parents’ shoulders to be able to see better, boys and adults with smartphones in […]

Being able to take a hot shower, do laundry, cook and wash dishes are actions that very often we do automatically without thinking about the fact that in many parts of the world all these are privileges that only few can enjoy: Bethlehem is one of these less fortunate places. Observing the expanse of houses […]

This Christmas we bring you to Bethlehem. But not only: we will bring you to the Bethlehem of 2000 years ago. Don’t you believe it? We will amaze you. We have just finished preparing “Bethlehem back in time“, an extraordinary product, the result of meticulous work that lasted years of research. We have already talked […]

A few steps from the headquarters of the University of Bethlehem, in the ICP (Institution Cooperative Partnership), every wednesday morning the mothers of Saint Joseph College return to school. Fortwo hours a week  about thirty ladies of all ages have the opportunity to take lessons held by professors and experts on various topics. Each topic […]

“We are a bit worried about the future, but we are fine”. The tone of voice is optimistic, the look is lively. The apostolic vicar of Aleppo, mgr. Abou Khazen, talk about the war in Syria and have the perception that it is almost a distant problem. “In Aleppo the situation is calmer. The services […]

With the beginning of November the academic year of the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum (SBF) officially begun. The SBF is the scientific institution for research and academic teaching of the Holy Scriptures and archeology of the biblical Places of the Franciscan friars of the Custody of the Holy Land. For several years now, precisely since 2013, […]

Friday, October 19, in the presence of the Apostolic Nuncio in Iraq and Jordan Mons. Alberto Ortega, of Mons. Lalli, councilor of the Apostolic Nunciature of Amman, of the Patriarchal Vicar for Jordan, Mons. Shomali and dr. Marco Salaris representative of the Italian Embassy in Jordan, in Amman in the parish of San Joseph, the […]

At first glance, the small village nestled between hills of olive groves and almond trees does not seem to differentiate itself from the many villages of the Palestinian countryside. However, Sebastia, a small village in the heart of Samaria, hides among the houses and fields the remains of columns, capitals, structures of ancient buildings that […]