On the occasion of 800 years of Franciscan presence in the Holy Land, the Christian Media Center has produced a special documentary divided into three parts. It is a journey to the origins of the Franciscan presence that leads to our day and to the eighth centennial celebrations, which took place in Jerusalem.
In the first part of the series the Overseas Mission with the arrival of the first friars in the Holy Land. The meeting of Francis of Assisi with the Sultan of Egypt at the time of the fifth crusade. 800 years of Franciscan presence in the Holy Land, documented over the centuries through exceptional manuscripts.
In the second part of the documentary the life of the friars in the sanctuaries, the pilgrims' visits, the care of the living stones, the local Christians and the mystery that surrounds the celebrations in the Holy Land. The Custos of the Holy Land, Fr. Francesco Patton, believes that the eight-century Franciscan presence in the Holy Land is strongly correlated with the places of remembrance: the shrines of the Incarnation and of the Redemption.
The third episode of the "800 Years of Franciscan Presence in the Holy Land" series describes the feast in Jerusalem for the friars of the Custody. Three days that included conferences, celebrations, meetings and the special message of Pope Francis who renewed the Custody's mandate to be "joyful witnesses of the Risen Christ in the Holy Land”.
