On a solemnity that strongly recalls the Resurrection, the living story, wounded hope, and renewed promise, the feast of Saints Simeon and Cleophas in Emmaus took on a particular significance this year. The homily of Fr. Francesco Ielpo, Custos of the Holy Land, resonated as an urgent invitation not to remain prisoners of pain, disappointment, or the night. The village and the tradition El-Qubeibeh, whose Arabic name means “small dome,” is located about 11 kilometers northwest of Jerusalem, in the […]
The church of the Baptism of Jesus on the site of the Baptism-Al Maghtas, in Jordan, and one of the largest in the Middle East, was consecrated on 10 January. The celebration was presided over by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State and special envoy of the Pope for this occasion. The church was also indicated as a Jubilee Site for the diocese of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. “We are at the lowest point on earth,” the […]
In his first Christmas Message as the new Custos of the Holy Land, Fr. Francesco Ielpo recalls the Child laid in the manger as the sign of a God who draws near in fragility. He invites us to look at the Holy Land with hope, to pray for peace, and to recognize God’s presence among the poor and in the wounds of the world, welcoming the light that is born. “She gave birth to her firstborn son, wrapped him in […]
The friars of the Custody of the Holy Land in the convent of San Fortunato in Montefalco (Umbria-Italy), the house of the postulate, organized the welcome of the relic of the blood of St Francis, on the 800th anniversary of the stigmata of the Seraphic Father. The relic comes from the Shrine of Mount La Verna (Tuscany-Italy), which as well as being a place of Franciscan spirituality and memory, is the seat of the novitiate for those who decide to […]
