The Status Quo: Meaning and Stories from the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem
The Status Quo in Jerusalem is akin to a condominium regulation, where every balance is precarious, the result of ancient agreements and shared rules among Christian denominations. It finds its roots and significance in this place: at the crossroads of cultures, religions, and peoples that form the essence of the millennia-old Holy City. The Holy Sepulchre embodies, more than any
Expatriate Assyrians From Iraq Who Choose to Go Back
"It's time to come back." This is the slogan of the NGO "The Return." A blue and white logo represents the paths of the Tigris and Euphrates in Iraq, with the borders intentionally erased "to send a message of unity, without distinction between various communities, including Christians," explains Dilan. A Chaldean of Franco-Iraqi origin, Dilan is the founder of the
Archbishop of Homs: Syria is key to global peace
During a visit to Rome, the Syriac Catholic Archbishop of Homs reflects on the situation in Syria, following the recent massacres targeting the Alawite community on the western coast.
Fr. Faltas: Children in Gaza deserve ‘precious gift of peace’
As the war in Gaza resumes, Fr. Ibrahim Faltas, Vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land, describes the pain war has inflicted on children in the Holy Land and calls for renewed efforts to safeguard the rights of civilians, especially children.
Cardinal Parolin urges lasting peace in Ukraine and Gaza
Calling for a disarmament of words and the rejection of nuclear weapons, Cardinal Parolin reiterates the Holy See’s long-standing commitment to peace, dialogue, and solidarity, and urges world leaders to embrace diplomatic solutions that prioritize human dignity and global stability.
The Iftar in Bethany, the house of friendship
The Custody of the Holy Land shared the moment of the Iftar – the evening meal which is eaten after the sunset and breaks the daily fast observed by Muslims during the month of Ramadan - with the Muslim community in Bethany. On Monday 24 March, the Vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land, Fra Ibrahim Faltas, and the friars of the Bethany
Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord in Nazareth: a “yes” that changed history
The solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord was celebrated this year again in Nazareth. On 24 and 25 March, many local faithful and religious of the Holy Land gathered in the Basilica of the Annunciation (a jubilee site, Jubilee of hope, 2025) to remember Mary’s “yes” to the Archangel Gabriel. On the eve of the solemnity, Monday 24 March, the Latin Patriarch of
A relic of the Grotto of the Annunciation in Assisi
The relic was exposed to the veneration of the faithful in the Porziuncola, accessible once again after the restoration of the Basilica of St Mary of the Angels
The agony of Jesus, a real man and real God
For the second Lenten peregrination, on 26 March, the Franciscan friars of the Custody of the Holy Land gathered at Gethsemane, the place of Jesus’s agony. The place of the agony In the Basilica of the Agony, at the foot of the Mount of Olives, which stands in the place known as Gethsemane, there is a rock on which – according to tradition - Christ
His Beatitude Patriarch Porfirije Of Serbia To Visit The Jerusalem Patriarchate
Following a letter sent by His Beatitude Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia to His Beatitude Patriarch Theophlios III of Jerusalem, the Patriarch of Serbia expressed his desire to visit the Holy Land, the Holy City of Jerusalem, pay tribute to the Most Holy Sepulchre, and to have a meeting with his Jerusalem counterpart. His Beatitude Patriarch Theophlios III replied to