With deep emotion, we remember Father Stanislao Loffreda, born in Monteprandone (Italy), eminent biblical scholar and archaeologist, for decades the soul of the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum in Jerusalem, where he also served as director.
An internationally renowned scholar, he devoted much of his life to the excavations at Capernaum, making decisive contributions to the understanding of the House of Peter and the structures of the Gospel village, and provided fundamental studies on Palestinian pottery of the Roman and Byzantine periods, becoming a point of reference for archaeological research in the Holy Land.
But beyond his great scientific rigor, his fraternal spirit, love for his homeland, narrative and poetic talent, and the generosity with which he trained entire generations of scholars will live on. His life was a gift to the Church, to the Custody of the Holy Land, and to all who had the privilege of knowing him and working alongside him.
Below we publish the message of condolence sent by the Minister General of the Order of Friars Minor, Fr. Massimo Fusarelli.
To the Most Rev. Fr. Simone Giampieri, OFM
Provincial Minister, Picena Province of St. James of the Marches
To the Very Rev. Fr. Francesco Ielpo, OFM
Custos of the Holy Land
To the Rev. Fr. Rosario Pierri, OFM
Dean of the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum
Dear Fr. Simone and all brothers,
May the Lord give you peace!
With deep emotion and sincere sharing in our common grief, I wish to express my heartfelt condolences for the passing of Father Stanislao Loffreda, which occurred this morning (9 August 2025) at the clinic in Ascoli Piceno.
Father Stanislao was a shining example of how the Franciscan vocation can be wonderfully combined with a love for science and the pursuit of truth. His extraordinary dedication to the Holy Land, where he served for nearly forty years as professor of Biblical Archaeology and Excursions at the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum (1968–2005), left an indelible mark in the field of biblical and archaeological studies.
His scientific contribution was great: from his service as dean of the Studium (1978–1990) to excavation campaigns that made history—Capernaum, Tabgha, Kafr Kanna, Magdala, and the fortress of Machaerus in Jordan. With a humility that was entirely Franciscan, he jokingly called “potsherds” those precious finds which, thanks to his meticulous work and numerous publications, have enriched our understanding of the archaeological testimonies of salvation history.
His teaching shaped generations of scholars, transmitting not only scientific expertise but above all the passion for the Holy Land that animated him. His specialization at the Oriental Institute of Chicago and his studies at the Pontifical Biblical Commission bear witness to the academic excellence that always characterized his career.
But beyond the brilliant scholar and archaeologist, all will remember the man of deep humanity, the generous confrere who embodied that Franciscan “perfect joy.” His contribution was precious not only on a scientific and professional level, but above all on a human and fraternal one, as testified by the many who knew him in the beloved hills of the Marches, where he had returned to spend his final years.
His love for his native roots, expressed in poems and stories in the local dialect, reveals the richness of a soul that knew how to combine the universality of the scientific mission with tenderness for his own land.
The witness of peace and serenity he offered until the very end is the most beautiful seal on a life entirely spent in the service of God, the Church, science, and culture, on the definitive journey to the Father’s house.
In this moment of sorrow, we join in prayer for Father Stanislao and assure our spiritual closeness to the entire Picena Province of St. James of the Marches, to the Biblical Studium of Jerusalem, and to the Custody of the Holy Land, confident that his example will continue to illuminate the path of scholars of the Sacred Scriptures and of all who knew and loved him.
With fraternal solidarity and in our common Christian hope,
Fr. Massimo Fusarelli, OFM
Minister General
