Giovanni Scifoni

The trip of Giovanni Scifoni with us in the Holy Land

Veronica Brocca30 September 2022

In the last days you discovered that the Italian actor Giovanni Scifoni has been with us in the Holy Land!

In the month of March a collaboration between Pro Terra Sancta and Scifoni has started in order to discover the Holy Places and the living stones that inhabit this land loved by God.

Born in Rome in 1976, Giovanni Scifoni is an actor, director, playwright, writer, and much-loved television presenter who is very followed on social media. Accompanying him on this journey is his friend Gero Arnone and a troupe of great professionals.

Scifoni - Bethlehem
Scifoni - Jerusalem

The words of Scifoni

The collaboration between Pro Terra Sancta and Giovanni Scifoni aims to make known to many people the good and beautiful things that the Association has been doing for the inhabitants of the Holy Land for twenty years.

Schools, kindergartens, canteens, medical dispensaries, work orientation offices, preservation of the Holy Places, enhancement of the cultural heritage: Scifoni discovers a living reality, which believes in the future and in the dignity of everyone, from the youngest to the elderly. And he said: «I found myself in a context rich in history that could not go untold. The activity that the association carries out is immense and goes beyond what we were able to express with the videos. It is an association that needs a lot of support, so I seriously invite everyone to donate to Pro Terra Sancta, which always operates in a state of emergency not only in Palestine, but throughout the Middle East, such as Syria and Lebanon in aid of families to combat poverty»..

Publishing of the video on October the 6th

There are many places Scifoni passed through on his journey to the Holy Land.

You will discover them starting from next Thursday, 6th of October, on our webpage and on the social media channels of the Association and the actor.

Scifoni saw how much Pro Terra Sancta has built over time, creating concrete opportunities and real links with the Holy Land, such as in Bethlehem.

Life here is not easy since the wall separates it from neighbouring Jerusalem.

The Association has been present in the area since the early years of its foundation to take care of the little ones, to provide them with a fair education and the possibility of a brighter future.

We asked Giovanni and Gero Arnone in this episode of our podcast “Voices of the Holy Land” what had struck them most about this trip.

They both mentioned two places in Bethlehem: the Hogar Niño Dios and the Aida refugee camp.

Scifoni - Hogar
Giovanni Scifoni at the Hogar Niño Dios

Time and coexistence

Scifoni - Nativity
In the Church of the Nativity

Scifoni and his troupe have worked with much commitment and passion to create four funny promotional videos that you will see, we remind you, starting on 6 October.

Of course, the goal of this great campaign is to raise funds for our many works in the Holy Land; however, this journey inevitably moves us in its human and spiritual aspects.

Our friend Scifoni, for example, has rediscovered the beauty of coexistence and time.

He tells us: «In Bethlehem, I saw that to build something beautiful and lasting, you need time. Don’t think about immediate results. The sisters of the Hogar Niño Dios left without knowing where they would arrive. They live the great enterprises of life without having a time frame and a clear dimension of the path. This marked me so much – it is a great lesson».

A sneak preview

On his journey, Scifoni visited places dear to the Christian tradition such as Jerusalem, Bethany and Jericho.

Jerusalem is another city that made a deep impression on the Roman actor. A land full of contradictions, home to the three monotheistic religions and at the same time the scene of violent clashes between Israelis and Palestinian Arabs. The activities that we can organise thanks to our supporters aim to ease ethnic, religious and social tensions and they are an element to build dialogue.

Here Scifoni has seen and experienced the strength of coexistence, despite everything.

We don’t want to reveal too much about Scifoni’s journey, but here we have made a little preview for you that you won’t want to miss!

Keep following us … you will see some great things!

Scifoni - children Bethlehem
Giovanni Scifoni and Gero Arnone with the boys of Bethlehem