Palestine/Bethany/Together to preserve the house of Lazarus, Martha and Mary

Bethany, a place of friendship in the Gospels, is today the scene of a conflict. The town is under the control of the State of Palestine and it has the Arabic name al-Azariyeh, which means “place of Lazarus“, the town is in fact separated from the neighboring Jerusalem by the Israeli separation wall. The struggle between the two factions has resulted in a context of economic depression and cultural deprivation that heavily damages the local community.
Since 2014, Pro Terra Sancta Association has been involved in Bethany in two directions. First and foremost, it is dedicated to the preservation of the city’s Basilica as well as the recovery of abandoned archaeological regions, employing 180 local youth and 12 university students who are competent to participate in archaeological excavation operations. In addition, Pro Terra Sancta collaborates with the Palestinian Authority to conduct site visits, which have attracted over 800 students in the previous year alone. Moreover, Pro Terra Sancta has implemented small business and micro-credit projects in favor of 20 women of Bethany, in conditions of particular difficulty. This allows them to produce and sell local products such as soap, oils and candles.