Fr Pierbattista Pizzaballa OFM, the Franciscan Custos of the Holy Land, has visited the UK to call on Catholics to make pilgrimages to the Holy Land to show solidarity with the Christians living where Christ once walked.
In this audio interview from the Catholic Communications Network, Fr Pizzaballa discusses exactly what his role as Custos of the Holy Land entails, and share with us how Christians, Muslims and Jews live and work together dealing with the very practical day to day issues.
The Custos is supporting the Terra Sancta Education Trust, a charity that works with local schools in Bethlehem and beyond, and aims to improve the education of Christian families in the Holy Land whilst working to relieve poverty. The trust also promotes respect and dialogue between different faith communities.
You can listen to, or download, the interview below:
The Terra Sancta Education Trust.
The Custos of the Holy Land is the Minister Provincial – the major superior – of the Friars Minor of the Middle East. He has jurisdiction over the territories of Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt (partially), Cyprus and Rhodes without counting the numerous houses, or Commissariats, in various parts of the world including those in Rome and Washington.
The main task of the Custos, besides animating the life of the friars, is to coordinate and direct the welcome to pilgrims who come to the Holy Land on pilgrimage to pray at the shrines of our Redemption.
This important task was given by the Holy See more than 600 years ago. The term used at those times to designate this task was “custody” of the holy places. To this day, we still use the terms “Custody” and “Custos”.
The most important role of the Custos is to receive pilgrims at the Holy Shrines, offering them space and the possibility to pray while offering shelter – especially to those who can’t afford expensive hotels. At the same time the pilgrims will find the friars ready to receive and hear them. All the Catholic Christian sanctuaries are under his jurisdiction and he ensures enough financial support is given to fulfil this function at these holy places.
In the Holy Land, the Custos is considered one of the main Christian religious authorities. He, together with the Greek Orthodox Patriarch and the Armenian Orthodox Patriarch, is responsible for the Status Quo – the code which regulates life at the Holy Sepulchre and Bethlehem.
By right, he forms part of the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land – the Bishops of the local Catholic Church.
