The island of Rhodes plays an important role in hosting some of the poorest migrant families. In addition to Rhodes, a particularly critical and needy place for assistance is Cyprus: barbed wire, many barriers, and a buffer zone patrolled by UN military separate the Republic of Cyprus from the remaining territory of the island, controlled by Turkey since 1974.
In Rhodes, Pro Terra Sancta collaborates with the Franciscans in the area to distribute food and medicines to the most vulnerable. Throughout the year, they have assisted over 2,000 families by distributing food parcels and medical kits, totaling around 700 packages every week. Special attention is given to children and young people, who are given the opportunity to attend recreational and pastoral activities, as well as receive toys and school supplies.
In Cyprus, a place rich in history and archaeological finds, the Franciscan presence is fundamental in combating poverty and abandonment. The Custody friars carry out numerous socio-assistance activities here: they support the Social Center of St. Joseph the Migrant in Nicosia, which welcomes foreign migrants and provides them with language courses and training; they have established the Terra Sancta College in Nicosia, the oldest school on the island, and the Refuge of St. Francis, a soup kitchen service for the poor within the parish of Limassol; also in Limassol, they support St. Mary's School, run by the Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart, who have also established the Terra Sancta Rest House, a retirement home for the elderly in Larnaca. All these activities are supported by Pro Terra Sancta, in an effort to alleviate the division affecting the people of Cyprus and to offer assistance and education to all the island's inhabitants.
