In Jerusalem, knowing – and demonstrating – the history of your home is fundamental and fascinating at the same time, because it means retracing the history of the city and the entire region. And it is also the same for the houses of religious people, such as that of the Order of Capuchin Friars Minor, which is located in the western part of the city, the Israeli one, although very close to the eastern part, the Palestinian one. Since 1967, after the Six Day War, Jerusalem has been divided in two, even if there is no physical demarcation, but according to international law the eastern part is Palestinian and under Israeli occupation.
«One of the most important things I found in my research is a copy of the Palestine Bulletin from 1929, where there is trace of our presence in Jerusalem”, he explains Friar Alfredo Rava, legal representative of the Capuchin Friars Minor, which not only preserves the historical documents of their property in the Holy Land, but by sifting through archives and online news, has found new ones. And consulting them, a bit like all the properties of that mirror of the world, is really like leafing through a history book.
After the First World War, the territories of the former Ottoman Empire were divided between the great powers and in 1931 Palestine became a British mandate.
It was precisely in those years that Lebanese friars arrived in Jerusalem with the aim of founding a convent. So they bought lots of land and began to create two buildings.
«The construction of the house ended in 1934-35 – continues Fra Alfredo – but as soon as it was finished or perhaps not even, it was seized by the English», who transformed it into a prison.
Years pass and in 1948 the State of Israel was born, following the plan for the partition of Palestine, approved with resolution 181 of the United Nations General Assembly. A partition that will be rejected by the pre-existing inhabitants, who neither then nor today have their own state, the Palestinian one.
The Lebanese friars, led by Fra Giacomo da Ghazir, they were never able to reside in the confiscated property: however, they had been foresighted and had left a custodian, Lebanese like them, to maintain the right to the buildings.
“What we have is the rental contract of the house to the State of Israel”, explains Fra Alfredo further.
After having been an English prison, in fact, the house became a psychiatric hospital, rented by the Capuchins to the newly formed Israeli government. Having that contract meant maintaining possession of it over time, even if there were other difficulties.
In the 90s a friar from Bergamo, Fra Pasquale Rota, he is sent to Jerusalem precisely to recover the house and, with a lot of patience and all-Franciscan charisma, he succeeds in his aim.
Since then the Capuchins have never abandoned the convent which, after long renovation works, became operational in the 2000s, thus fulfilling the purpose for which it was created, one of the most fascinating aspects of the house. The Capuchins, in fact, are not part of the pilgrimage circuits, nor do they welcome tourists. Their home, that is, the Center for spirituality and biblical formation “I am the light of the world”was created to offer a sabbatical period to religious people from all over the world and above all to allow them to follow advanced training courses, where the Holy Scriptures were born and still materialize today.
«In Jerusalem you learn the Bible by walking», F. always saysMrs Enrico Maiorano, the current guardian of the Capuchin house, and it is really difficult to blame him.
This story can be heard in the podcast Life as friars in Jerusalem by Anna Maria Selini and produced by the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin and available on all platforms in 4 episodes from 27 December.
