5th International Congress of the Holy Land Commissioners
“Ambassadors of Peace: Listening, Supporting, Proclaiming the Holy Land”
Jerusalem, November 19–25, 2025 – Saint Saviour Monastery

The Custody of the Holy Land joyfully announces the celebration of the V International Congress of the Holy Land Commissioners, which will be held in Jerusalem from November 19 to 25, 2025, at the Saint Saviour Monastery.

After years marked by challenges and difficulties for the region and for the friars’ mission, this Congress aims to be a prophetic sign of hope and communion, an occasion to renew the spiritual and fraternal bond between Commissioners from around the world and the Church living in the Holy Land.

The theme chosen for the 2025 edition, “Ambassadors of Peace – Listening, Supporting, Proclaiming the Holy Land”, will guide the work in three thematic sections:

  • Listening, to enter into dialogue with the living reality of the Church and the peoples of the Holy Land;

  • Supporting, to share concrete forms of aid and collaboration with the Franciscan mission;

  • Proclaiming, to rediscover the beauty and strength of the Gospel story that continues to radiate from these places throughout the world.

During the Congress days, participants will experience moments of prayer, discussion, and formation, with prominent ecclesial and academic speakers, including Fr. Francesco Ielpo OFM, Custos of the Holy Land, H.E. Mons. Pierbattista Cardinal Pizzaballa OFM, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, and numerous friars and laypeople involved in local community life.

The program also includes interactive workshops, firsthand testimonies, and visits to the Holy Sites of Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Ein Karem, to rediscover the spiritual and pastoral dimension of the Commissioners’ service.

“Gathering in the heart of the Gospel will be a concrete sign that fraternity is stronger than division,” declared Fr. Francesco Ielpo OFM, “and that the mission of the Custody continues to be a bridge of peace and communion for the entire Church.”

The Congress, coordinated by the Delegate for the Holy Land Commissioners Fr. Silvio Rogelio De La Fuente OFM and the organizing committee led by Fr. Matteo Brena OFM, will bring together Commissioners, Vice-Commissioners, and collaborators from all over the world.

Read more: https://www.custodia.org/en/news/ambassadors-of-peace-listening-supporting-proclaiming-the-holy-land/

By custodia