Sometimes we need to pause in order to make sense of things — and of ourselves. In the world of sports, a gesture is used to call for a timeout. In my family, when we need to rewind and go back to the beginning, we have our own expression: “before before,” which we...
“Can a woman forget her nursing child, or show no compassion for the child of her womb? Even if she were to forget, I will never forget you!” (Is 49:15). With these words, the prophet Isaiah seeks to explain to the people of Israel what God is like “within,” what His...
At the beginning of the Christian era, Jerusalem was a great city, one of the most beautiful in the world. Never in its history had it enjoyed such splendor as that brought about by the ambitious project Herod the Great had planned for it and begun to carry out. This...
Visitors to Jerusalem may occasionally notice distinguished men in traditional uniforms carrying ceremonial staffs during major Church celebrations. These are the Kawas — a living symbol of the long and continuous Christian presence in the Holy Land. The “Kawas” (also...
It seems like the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher is constantly under construction. About ten years ago, the Edicule of the Lord’s Tomb was completely renovated; now the time has come to redo the floor. One must acknowledge that both the history and the topography of...
On June 24, 2025, Pope Leo XIV confirmed the election of our brother, Fr. Francesco Ielpo, OFM, as Custos of the Holy Land and Guardian of Mount Zion. What is the Mission of the Franciscan Custody in the Holy Land? The mission of the Franciscans in the Holy Land dates...
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