After two years of absence, on 13 September 2025 the wooden image of the scourged Christ returned to its place in the Sanctuary of the Flagellation in Jerusalem. The statue, donated some time ago by a community in Barcelona, had been seriously damaged on 2 February 2023, when an extremist broke into the church, knocked down the sculpture and defaced its face. It was a violent act that left shock and sorrow among the faithful present, as the sisters and […]
The conclusive event of “LUXTENEBRA, centenary of the Basilicas of Tabor and Gethsemane” was held on 22 November at St Saviour’s convent in Jerusalem. An exhibition of archive documents, period photographs and artistic sketches which tell the story of how the two shrines were built was held in the Mother-of-Pearl Room. A musical concert offered by the youngsters of the Magnificat Institute of Jerusalem followed the closing of the exhibition. The event was possible thanks to the contribution of 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 Advent season is marked with a special meaning this year at the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America, in Washington DC. 2023 marks the 800th anniversary of the first nativity scene ever, created by Saint Francis of Assisi in the Italian village of Greccio on Christmas night in 1223. To commemorate the anniversary, the Franciscan Monastery is hosting an exhibition of hundreds of nativity scenes from all over the world. The collections in the exhibition The exhibition […]
