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 day after the start of the ceasefire in Gaza, the Custos of the Holy Land, Fra Francesco Patton, and the Patriarch of Jerusalem of the Latins, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, make an appeal to pilgrims from the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre, the heart of Christianity and a Jubilee site, to come back to visit the Holy Places with confidence. “The pilgrimage is absolutely safe. It is time to look up and return to Jerusalem to also bring joy to […]
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 four pupils from the Helen Keller school of Beit Hanina are flying to Rome: a special journey for Ibrahim, Alaa, Talin and Celin, which will take them to the Olympic Stadium, to sing together with Pope Francis on the first World Children’s Day. “Dear children! Your first World Day, which will be in Rome on 25 and 26 May next, is approaching,” are the words that open the message from the Pope announcing this special day dedicated to children […]
