italiano
français
deutsch
español
Story of the Holy Land
The current situation in the Holy Land, conditioned by many factors, is particularly complex, following the long ongoing conflict as well as the issues related to religious radicalism in the Holy Land. Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Custodian of the Holy Land, recalls:
“… it’s not true that the middle-eastern conflict is the beginning of the world tension… it’s quite opposite, the conflict in the Middle East is a result of many conflicting situations in the world, at all levels, and they meet here…”
It is important to make the Holy Land and the history and culture of Christian presence in the Middle East known to the whole world, both Christian and not. To encourage the development of a greater awareness of the origins of Christians in the Holy Land so to consciously contribute to the unity of “human family” and peace in the world.
The project “Story of the Holy Land” is part of a series of initiatives promoted by the Custody of the Holy Land aiming to preserve the “memory stones”, Christian cultural sites in the Holy Land, and support the “living stones”, the Christians of the Holy Land.
The aim of the planned activities in the Holy Land is to file, preserve and take a census of the cultural heritage of the Custody of the Holy Land which has, for the past eight centuries, and in the name of all Christianity, taken an interest in salvaging and guarding the Christian Holy Places (basilicas, archaeological sites) in the Holy Land. Amongst which a great concern is given to the basilica of the Annunciation of Nazareth, the basilica of the Nativity of Bethlehem, in Capernaum, a place of Jesus’ public life, and the basilica of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, all sites of great cultural and religious importance to the Christians not only in the Holy Land, but all over the world.
The proposed actions particularly respond to the need to promote a thorough and documented knowledge of the history of Christianity and of the Christians in the Holy Land and Jerusalem, the history and experience of the Franciscan presence in the Holy Land and the current works carried out by the Custody of the Holy Land for the Christians and their cultural heritage.
Such action is proved to be introductory to the constitution of a Cultural Heritage Office dedicated to the protection and preservation activities of cultural, historic and artistic heritage of the Holy Land.
The ultimate goal for the Custody of the Holy Land is to realize a modern Christian Museum Center in Jerusalem, the Holy City, planned as an institution accommodating communication and cultural production, providing guidance to pilgrims, tourists and scholars, as well as to the local population. Through guided and equipped itineraries, the events of Christian presence in the Holy Land and the historical experience of the Custody of the Holy Land in preserving the signs of the presence of Christ and the first Christians in the Holy Land would be made known and their values enhanced.
The intervention foresees a relevant and effective part dedicated to the vocational training of local resources as professional figures competent in the sector of preservation and use of the cultural heritage of the Holy Land.
***
***
Help support the Holy Places. Maintain the Christian Community in the Holy Land:
