Preserving the site of Christ's birth JerusalemJanuary 23, 2026 The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Custody of the Holy Land announce the imminent commencement of restoration works in the Grotto of the Nativity, the hallowed site revered across Christendom as the place of the Incarnation. This joint undertaking together with the brotherly cooperation of [...]
Pope Leo XIV proclaims a Franciscan Jubilee Year for the 800th anniversary of the Transit of St. Francis On January 10, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV established the ππππ« π¨π ππ. π π«ππ§ππ’π¬ π¨π ππ¬π¬π’π¬π’ on the occasion of the 800th anniversary of the saintβs Transitus to Heaven. The initiative was proclaimed through a Decree issued by [...]
January 17, 2026 The Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in the Holy Land affirm before the faithful and before the world that the ο¬ock of Christ in this land is entrusted to the Apostolic Churches, which have borne their sacred ministry across centuries with steadfast devotion. Recent activities undertaken by local individuals who advance damaging ideologies, [...]
On Tuesday January 6, the friars of the Custody of the Holy Land celebrated the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord together with the Christian Catholic community of Bethlehem and pilgrims who arrived from all over the world. The Solemnity of the Epiphany invites all the faithful to renew their commitment to follow the light [...]
After nearly two years of an almost complete absence of pilgrims in the Holy Land, Fr. David Wathen, Director of the Pilgrimage Office at the Franciscan Monastery, has finally led a group of American faithful to the sacred sites where Our Lord walked and ministered. As the situation in the region shows encouraging signs of greater [...]