Terra Sancta Museum

Terra Sancta Museum The Terra Sancta Museum in Jerusalem is dedicated to Christian archaeology, history, liturgy & arts
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Groups are invited to book the visit by writing to:
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Today, the Terra Sancta Museum highlights the Altar of Saint Joseph and its painting in the Church of Saint Saviour in J...
01/09/2026

Today, the Terra Sancta Museum highlights the Altar of Saint Joseph and its painting in the Church of Saint Saviour in Jerusalem.

Dating to 1884, the altar is constructed in polychrome marble and enriched with classical architectural elements, including slender columns with Corinthian capitals, an elaborate entablature and an imposing pediment. At its base, a relief of the Lamb of God is set within a circular medallion.

The altarpiece was painted by Francesco Giuseppe Ciseri and completed in 1886. It depicts Saint Joseph asleep beside his worktable as the Angel of the Lord appears to him. The composition is a free interpretation of the same subject painted around a decade earlier by his father, Antonio Ciseri.

The altar and its painting form part of the artistic decoration commissioned for Saint Saviour during the 1880s, with Fr. Remigio Buselli, Commissary of the Holy Land in Tuscany, overseeing the selection of artists and the ex*****on of the marble works.

Painting Photo: Gali Tibbon
Altar Photos: Elias Halabi – Terra Sancta Museum

Today, the Terra Sancta Museum highlights the Altar of Saint Thomas in the Church of Saint Saviour in Jerusalem.Located ...
25/08/2026

Today, the Terra Sancta Museum highlights the Altar of Saint Thomas in the Church of Saint Saviour in Jerusalem.

Located in the right nave beside the presbytery, the altar is crafted in polychrome marble and enriched with classical elements, including dark-marble columns with Corinthian capitals, an imposing pediment, and the Franciscan coat of arms at its base.

At its center is The Incredulity of Saint Thomas, painted in 1885 by Antonio Ciseri. The scene depicts the encounter between the Risen Christ and Saint Thomas, with particular attention to the expressions of the figures and the flowing blue mantle of Christ.

The marble altar dates to 1884 and is possibly connected with Fr. Remigio Buselli, Commissary of the Holy Land in Tuscany, who was involved in overseeing the church’s altars and decoration.

Like other works preserved at Saint Saviour, the altar reflects how the artistic heritage connected with the Terra Sancta Museum extends beyond its galleries and remains present in churches throughout the Holy Land.

Photos: Elias Halabi - Terra Sancta Museum
Painting Photo: Gali Tibbon

For the Feast of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Terra Sancta Museum highlights The Coronation of the Virg...
21/08/2026

For the Feast of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Terra Sancta Museum highlights The Coronation of the Virgin by Francesco De Mura (1696–1782).

Painted around 1730, the work shows Mary kneeling as Christ and God the Father crown her, while the Holy Spirit appears above in the form of a dove. The scene expresses Mary’s heavenly Queenship.

The painting belongs to an important cycle commissioned from De Mura for the Holy Places, depicting episodes from the lives of Christ and the Virgin Mary. Today, The Coronation of the Virgin is preserved in the Church of Saint Catherine in Bethlehem.

Photos: Elias Halabi - Terra Sancta Museum

Today, the Terra Sancta Museum highlights the Altar of the Sacred Heart in the Church of Saint Saviour in Jerusalem.Loca...
18/08/2026

Today, the Terra Sancta Museum highlights the Altar of the Sacred Heart in the Church of Saint Saviour in Jerusalem.

Located at the end of the right nave, the altar is crafted in polychrome marble and enriched with classical architectural elements, including slender columns with Corinthian capitals and a relief of the Sacred Heart at its base.

At its center is a painting of Christ presenting the Sacred Heart, dated 1885, forming the principal devotional image of the altar.

An inscription at the base of the altar, dated 1884, reads: “France of the Crusaders, as an expression of gratitude, love, and reparation.” It reflects the devotional character and historical context in which the altar was created.

The marble work was connected with Fr. Remigio Buselli, Commissary of the Holy Land in Tuscany, who played an important role in overseeing the artists and the ex*****on of the church’s altars and their decoration.

Like other works preserved at Saint Saviour, the altar reflects how the artistic heritage connected with the Terra Sancta Museum extends beyond its galleries and remains present in churches throughout the Holy Land.

Photos: Elias Halabi - Terra Sancta Museum

Ahead of the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, celebrated tomorrow, 15 August, we turn to Gethsema...
14/08/2026

Ahead of the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, celebrated tomorrow, 15 August, we turn to Gethsemane in Jerusalem, where the Custody of the Holy Land marks this ancient Christian feast.

The celebration has particular significance here because Gethsemane lies very close to the Tomb of the Virgin Mary, where, according to Christian tradition, her body was laid before her Assumption into heaven.

The recumbent statue of Mary, prepared for the feast, recalls the ancient tradition of her Dormition, her repose at the end of her earthly life, and her passage into heavenly glory.

Each year, the celebrations begin on the evening of 14 August and continue on the feast day, including prayer in Gethsemane and a pilgrimage to the Tomb of Mary.

Photos by: Elias Halabi - Terra Sancta Museum

On 10 August 2026, a pre-construction meeting and official site handover took place at the Terra Sancta Museum in Jerusa...
13/08/2026

On 10 August 2026, a pre-construction meeting and official site handover took place at the Terra Sancta Museum in Jerusalem’s Old City, marking an important step towards the beginning of the upcoming works.

On 10 August 2026, a pre-construction meeting and official site handover took place at the Terra Sancta Museum in Jerusalem’s Old City, marking an important step towards the beginning of the upcoming works.

Funded by the Belgian government through Enabel in Palestine, the project will support civil interventions in Rooms 4, 6 and C, including the construction of a new skylight above Room 4. These works will help improve and stabilize the museum’s internal climate conditions, contributing to the protection of its collections and the preparation of future exhibition spaces. Enabel works to create inclusive and vibrant public spaces that foster community engagement, learning, and cultural participation, strengthening their role as hubs for education, culture, and community life.

During the visit, participants toured the museum and reviewed the areas where the works will be carried out. The meeting brought together Eng. Walid Aboudi of Enabel; Arch. Jawad Sleibi of the Custody of the Holy Land; Eng. Khaled Jamjoom of Global Consultants; and representatives of the contractor Mr. Fix, Mr. Shawkat Mansour and Eng. Bashar Ibrahim.

The Terra Sancta Museum thanks Enabel for its valuable support, contributing to the preservation and future development of the museum and its heritage in Jerusalem.

Photos: Elias Halabi – Terra Sancta Museum

For the Feast of Saint Clare of Assisi, the Terra Sancta Museum turns to a remarkable fourteenth-century Antiphonary pre...
10/08/2026

For the Feast of Saint Clare of Assisi, the Terra Sancta Museum turns to a remarkable fourteenth-century Antiphonary preserved in its collection.

In one of its richly illuminated initials, Saint Clare appears together with Saint Francis, within a manuscript produced in Siena in the second half of the fourteenth century and decorated by the workshop of Andrea di Bartolo.

The Antiphonary belonged to a series of choir books donated by King Henry IV of England in memory of his father, John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, preserving a remarkable witness to medieval liturgy, art, and Franciscan heritage.

Photos by: Neva Gasparo

On 4 August, we had the pleasure of welcoming a Druze delegation led by Sheikh Kasem Bader.The visit began with a tour o...
09/08/2026

On 4 August, we had the pleasure of welcoming a Druze delegation led by Sheikh Kasem Bader.

The visit began with a tour of some of the most sacred places in Jerusalem’s Old City, including Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The delegation was then introduced to the Custody of the Holy Land, its centuries-long presence in the region, and the life and legacy of Saint Francis.

From the Church of Saint Saviour to the museum’s Mother-of-Pearl Room, the visit was enriched by thoughtful questions, curiosity, and a meaningful exchange.
We warmly thank the delegation for their visit and look forward to the opportunity of meeting again

Photos by: Elias Halabi_ TSM

On the Feast of the Transfiguration, the Terra Sancta Museum highlights two works that form part of the artistic heritag...
05/08/2026

On the Feast of the Transfiguration, the Terra Sancta Museum highlights two works that form part of the artistic heritage of the Church of Saint Saviour in Jerusalem.

A circular stained-glass window by Louis-Victor Gesta (1828–1894) depicts Christ in glory between Moses and Elijah, with the apostles Peter, James, and John below.

The church also houses a painting closely based on the upper section of Raphael’s celebrated Transfiguration, presenting the same biblical scene through a different artistic medium.

Together, these works reflect how the artistic heritage of the Terra Sancta Museum extends beyond its galleries and remains preserved in churches throughout the Holy Land.

Photos by: Elias Halabi – TSM

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Monday 09:00 - 12:00
Tuesday 09:00 - 12:00
Wednesday 09:00 - 12:00
Thursday 09:00 - 12:00
Friday 09:00 - 12:00
Saturday 09:00 - 12:00
Sunday 09:00 - 12:00

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