Above: The Franciscan Monastery in Washington, D.C.
Eight hundred years ago, the Roman Catholic Church entrusted the guardianship of the Holy Land of the Christian religion to the Holy Land Friars of the Order of St. Francis, creating what is now known as the Custody of the Holy Land. The Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America is run by the Custody’s friars based in America. The Holy Land Friars recently called for peace amidst the violence and suffering due to the prolonged political conflict and the lamentable absence of justice and respect for human rights.
“As custodians of the Christian faith, deeply rooted in the Holy Land, we stand in solidarity with the people of this region, who are enduring the devastating consequences of continued strife. Our faith, which is founded on the teachings of Jesus Christ, compels us to advocate for the cessation of all violent and military activities that bring harm to both Palestinian and Israeli civilians,” said The Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem in a recent statement.
“We unequivocally condemn any acts that target civilians, regardless of their nationality, ethnicity, or faith. Such actions go against the fundamental principles of humanity and the teachings of Christ, who implored us to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31).”
The Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America is part of a world-wide network of Commissariats of the Holy Land, which function as bridges between the Holy Land and Christians all over the world. The Franciscan Monastery in Washington, D.C., coordinates this vital support for the work of the Franciscans who work in the Holy Land.
The Commissariat of the Holy Land recently thanked Bishop Zarama and the Diocese of Raleigh on behalf of the Holy Land Christians and pilgrims who benefit from the annual Pontifical Good Friday Collection. Through the 2023 Good Friday collection, the Diocese of Raleigh provided more than $126,000 to support Christians in the Holly Land and the sacred shrines entrusted to the care of the Holy Land Franciscans, which are visited by more than 1.5 million pilgrims annually.
The Franciscan Friars’ work in the Holy Land is vital. As Pope Francis said, “We will not resign ourselves to imagining a Middle East without Christians.”
The group preserves the holy places and makes it possible for Christians to remain in the land of Jesus. This work has grown to include support of schools and missions in the Holy Land, as well as care for refugees and other needy people throughout the region. Conflict in the Middle East and the Jerusalem Barrier Wall has led to a declining Christian population in the region, making their work increasingly important. The ability of families in many of these regions to stay in their home countries is increasingly being threatened by the lack of employment and education opportunities. The Holy Land Franciscan Friars help care for children, families, refugees and others in need throughout the region, and keep Christianity alive in the land made holy by the birth, ministry, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.
The Franciscan Monastery in Washington, D.C., is a national shrine that sustains this 800-year mission of the Franciscan Friars in the Holy Land by serving as a “Little Jerusalem” in America. It serves America’s Holy Land pilgrims through education, fundraising, recruiting vocations, promoting pilgrimages and providing pastoral ministry locally to religious, lay Catholics and to all of good will. It is a U.S. pilgrimage site for those who cannot travel to the Holy Land and is known for its architectural significance and beauty.
For more information, please visit https://myfranciscan.org