Terra Sancta Museum

16/10/2026

Stéphane Thefo, Cultural Heritage Security Consultant, shares insights from his recent visit to the Terra Sancta Museum in Jerusalem.

As part of the ongoing development of the museum, his visit focused on the security systems and technical requirements essential to protecting the museum’s collections and preparing its future exhibition spaces.

Through the collaboration of international experts and specialists, the project continues to move forward, bringing the future museum one step closer to reality.

Be part of it.

12/10/2026

Building the future while preserving the past.

As the Terra Sancta Museum – Art & History takes shape within the historic Monastery of Saint Saviour in Jerusalem, sustainability and conservation remain at the heart of the project.

Through the support of Enabel Palestine, important work is underway to prepare the historic spaces for their future as a museum.

Read more about the project, the new skylight, and the sustainable approach being taken to prepare these historic spaces for their future as a museum.
Article by Cecilia Fraternale – Terra Sancta Museum

A new partnership with Enabel Palestine is supporting essential works to prepare the future Terra Sancta Museum Art & History, a project financed by Belgian development cooperation

10/10/2026

Today, Daniela Massara, Chief Curator of the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum Archaeological Collections at the Terra Sancta Museum, takes us on a journey through the newly opened section of the SBF Archaeological Collections.

Daniela sheds light on one of the special rooms in this new section: the Egyptian Room, offering a glimpse into the history and treasures it holds.

Follow us for more highlights from the Museum.

06/10/2026

A Historic Chalice, A Living Tradition

On Sunday, 4 October, during the celebration of the Feast of Saint Francis at the Church of Saint Saviour in Jerusalem, this historic chalice was once again used in the liturgy.

Made in Paris between 1659 and 1660 by silversmith Pierre III Quin, the gilded silver chalice is richly decorated with scenes from the New Testament. Its knop features Christ, the Virgin and Child, and Saint Francis.

Today, the chalice forms part of the Terra Sancta Museum collection, while continuing to be used on special occasions in the liturgy of Jerusalem and the Holy Land.

In the future, it will be displayed in the Terra Sancta Museum – Art & History, where it will be presented alongside other works that tell the story of the artistic and devotional heritage of the Holy Land — a work of art preserved, a tradition still alive, and a story that continues into the future.

Photos: Elias Halabi – Terra Sancta Museum
Chalice Photo: Guillaume Benoît

04/10/2026

On Sunday, 4 October, the community gathered at Saint Saviour in Jerusalem in faith to celebrate the Feast of Saint Francis, marking 800 years since his Transitus.

A celebration lived together through prayer, devotion, and traditions that continue to bring the community together. From the preparation of the church to the liturgy itself, every detail reflects a faith that remains alive and present in Jerusalem and the Holy Land.

Eight centuries later, the legacy of Saint Francis continues to be lived and celebrated by the community in Jerusalem.

Photos: Elias Halabi – Terra Sancta Museum

03/10/2026

Did you notice the relics of Saint Francis in yesterday’s reel?

Would you like to discover their story?

Follow us — tomorrow, after the celebration of the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, we will take a closer look at these precious relics and share their history with you.

And if you are in Jerusalem, come and join us for the celebration at Saint Saviour Church and see them for yourself.

02/10/2026

Details, dedication, and attention to every little aspect.

This is how the community of Saint Saviour in Jerusalem is preparing and adorning the church for the Feast of Saint Francis and the close of the Jubilee marking 800 years since his Transitus.

Everyone is taking part in bringing beauty and light to this important anniversary, from the careful preparation of the church to the vibrant colours of the flowers and the presence of the relic of Saint Francis.

01/10/2026

As we prepare for the Feast of Saint Francis and the close of the Jubilee marking 800 years since his Transitus, the Terra Sancta Museum turns its attention to a monument that many of us have passed by, perhaps without noticing, in the courtyard of the Monastery of Saint Saviour in Jerusalem.

At its heart stands a statue of Saint Francis, surrounded by inscriptions in Latin, Arabic, Greek, and Ottoman Turkish, reflecting the rich and diverse cultural landscape of Ottoman Jerusalem at the end of the 19th century.

The monument commemorates the solemn visit to Jerusalem of Fr. Luigi Canali da Parma, Minister General of the Order of Friars Minor, who entered the Holy City on 1 June 1893 as part of his visit to the Holy Land. His arrival was an important moment for the Franciscan Custody and was marked by a solemn reception.

The inscriptions also name Fr. Giacomo Ghezzi da Castel Madama, Custos of the Holy Land from 1888 to 1894, who commissioned the commemorative monument.
Together, the four inscriptions offer a glimpse into a Jerusalem where different languages, communities, and traditions existed side by side, leaving their traces on the city's artistic and cultural heritage.

A monument, a visit, and four languages — a memory of Jerusalem preserved in stone, and a lasting testimony to the presence of Saint Francis in the Holy Land.

Photos: Elias Halabi – Terra Sancta Museum

01/10/2026

Yesterday, 30 September, the Terra Sancta Museum had the honor of welcoming H.E. Beka Dvali, Ambassador of Georgia, together with Consul Maka Odzelashvili, for a visit to the Custody of the Holy Land and the museum.

The visit offered an opportunity to recall the long history of the Georgian presence in the Holy Land, which predates the arrival of the Franciscans and has left important traces within the spaces of St. Saviour’s Monastery.

The delegation also visited the future Terra Sancta Museum – Art & History. In front of what will become Room 21, dedicated to educational activities, stands the old bell tower of the former Georgian convent, an important testimony to an earlier chapter in the history of Jerusalem.

The visit continued to the TSM SBF Archaeological Collections, where the delegation encountered further evidence of a shared history -like the Georgian mosaics- that deserves to be preserved, studied and made accessible to future generations.

We are grateful to H.E. the Ambassador and Consul for their visit and for their interest in the work of the Custody of the Holy Land and the Terra Sancta Museum in preserving and giving new life to the memory of the many communities that have shaped the history of the Holy Land.

30/09/2026

Today, we come to you with great news from Jerusalem.

The SBF Archaeological Collections has officially opened its latest and final section, marking the completion of an important museum project.

The new section brings further treasures to discover, including written tablets from different civilisations, jewellery, oil lamps and other archaeological objects that enrich the museum’s collection and deepen the story it tells about the history and cultures of the Holy Land.

A sincere thank you to everyone who contributed to the realization of this important project.