“Holding onto one’s roots”: the book in support of the Christians of the Holy Land

In a few days a series of encounters to present the book “Holding onto One’s Roots: Stories and Faces of the Christians in the Holy Land” will begin. From 29 November to 7 December the two young authors – and friends of the Holy Land – Andrea Avveduto and Giovanni Zennaro are participating in a tour that will take them to a number of different Italian cities to present their book.

On the site Aggrappati alle radici, which features extracts from the book (in Italian) as well as some of the photos, one can also read part of the preface written by Padre Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Custos of the Holy Land and President of ATS pro Terra Sancta: “A book that presents the facts and tells the story of the Christian presence in the Holy Land, today the land of Israel and Palestine. A topical subject that will help us to dream of a better, more beautiful tomorrow, where finally we can call this land the Land of God. Jews, Muslims, Christians: and the Christians as a small minority, who must fully and joyfully live their own witness of faith and belonging, without isolating themselves, indeed with the ability to be open to new forms of creativity that not only are permitted, but sometimes are even expected by the brothers of other faiths.”

Also on the site can be found the details of the presentations to be held in the coming days in the following cities: Cervia on 29 November, Rimini on 30 November, Florence 30 November, Rome 2 December, Seveso 4 December, Milan 5 December and Chioggia 7 December 2012. There will be a further presentation in Milan on 1 February 2013. The authors can also be contacted to request a presentation in other cities.

Through this book, which via both texts and pictures tells with passion the stories of the Christians who live in the Places of the Gospels, the authors and the publisher (Marietti 1820) are launching an appeal: to support the operation of ATS pro Terra Sancta in its efforts to aid the living stones of the Holy Land.