Dear brothers and sisters,
May the Lord grant you His peace!
As Holy Week approaches, our hearts and our gaze turn once more to the Holy Land, the land where the Son of God gave His life “to the very end” and from which the Church was born.
Even today, from these Holy Places, we continue to draw from the source of Easter the meaning and hope of our service.
Yet we cannot hide that the time we are living through is difficult.
War, violence, and insecurity have struck hard in Gaza, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, and Syria. Added to all this has been the long absence of pilgrims, which has worsened an already deeply critical economic situation.
Many Christian families, who lived thanks to pilgrimages, now struggle to support themselves. Young people find it increasingly difficult to imagine a future here, in their own land. Hope itself seems wounded in Bethlehem, in Jerusalem, in northern Israel, as well as in Lebanon and Syria.
In this context, the words of the Holy Father resound strongly, reminding us of the urgent need for prayer and fasting for peace, and firmly calling for an end to the conflict in the Holy Land.
Good Friday, then, takes on an even deeper meaning for us. The Pontifical Good Friday Collection for the Holy Land is not only a gesture of solidarity: it is a concrete sign of communion with the Church of Jerusalem. Thanks to this Collection, we are able to support schools, parishes, charitable works, social projects, and emergency interventions, keeping the Christian presence alive in the Places of Redemption.
Today more than ever, we are called to rebuild: not only buildings, but also relationships, trust, and hope. And this passes above all through education, through young people, families, and the places where a culture of encounter and peace can be born.
On Good Friday, as we contemplate the Crucified Christ, we ask you not to forget the Holy Land. Remember us in your prayers and support us with your generosity. Your closeness is for us a precious sign of fraternity and hope.
From the Holy Places we assure you of our remembrance in prayer and wish you to live the Lord’s Easter as a source of new life.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
To learn about the ways you can support the Franciscans and their mission in the Holy Land, visit the website: www.collettavenerdisanto.it
