Saint Francis of Assisi and the Custos of the Holy Land

October 3, 2017

The story of Saint Francis of Assisi is woven into the heart of the Catholic faith. Beyond his witness of poverty, humility and service to Christ, Saint Francis and the Franciscan Order have played a quiet but central role in safeguarding the Catholic Church in the Holy Land for more than seven hundred years.

Who is Saint Francis of Assisi?

The story of Saint Francis of Assisi is well known to Catholic faithful throughout the world. As one of the most beloved saints, his life of service to Christ through poverty, humility and charitable deeds is taught in almost every Catholic parochial and Sunday school.

Who are the Franciscans?

What many faithful do not know is that Saint Francis and his Order of monks, known as the Franciscans, have played one of the most important roles in the life of the Church in the Holy Land.

Saint Francis himself travelled to the Holy Land and its surroundings during the final years of the Crusades and established his Franciscan Order in the Holy Land in 1217. Starting with a simple dwelling near the 5th Station of the Via Dolorosa, the Franciscans grew to become the official custodians of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land by 1342, a role they hold to this day.

The 5th Station of the Via Dolorosa

Why is he called the Custos of the Holy Land?

The Franciscan commitment to the protection and care of pilgrims to the Holy Land was absolute, and the title of first Custos remains among the most significant fulfillments in the life of the Church. Saint Francis is also credited with introducing the Nativity crèche to Christmas tradition, in part so pilgrims could better contemplate the miracle of Christ's birth into this world at a time before widespread literacy or printed illustrations could serve as educational tools.

When is the feast day?

In the Holy Land, the feast day is presided over by the Custos at the Franciscan monastery of Saint Saviour in the Christian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. A vespers service is held on October 3rd, the day of his departure from this world, with the feast celebrated throughout the Catholic Church on October 4th. A lesser known feast day, observed principally by the Franciscan Orders and in parishes with a special affinity to Saint Francis, is the Feast of the Stigmata of Saint Francis of Assisi, celebrated on September 12th.

Don't forget to view our genuine hand carved olive wood statuettes of Saint Francis.

Who is the current Franciscan Custos?

The current Franciscan Custos is Fr. Francesco Patton, OFM (Order of Friars Minor), appointed to the position on May 20th, 2016. He follows Fr. Pierbattista Pizzaballa, OFM, who served for twelve years and is currently the Apostolic Administrator of the Latin Patriarchate.

Which Holy Land churches are protected by the Franciscans?

While the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem attends to the parochial needs of the Catholic faithful in the Holy Land, Jordan and Cyprus, the Franciscans remain the caretakers and protectors of the holy places held by the Catholic Church.

In a unique arrangement that dates back to the time of the Ottoman Turks, the Franciscans share the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem with the Greek Orthodox Church and the Armenian Church, with each maintaining jurisdiction over part of the site under a strict schedule of processions and services. Other sites , the Stations of the Via Dolorosa in the Old City of Jerusalem, the Church of All Nations in the Garden of Gethsemane, and the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth , fall entirely under Catholic care through the custodianship of the Franciscans.

What else do they do in the Holy Land?

Franciscan schools serve cities such as Jerusalem, Nazareth, Bethlehem and Jericho. Their broader work includes the management of pilgrim guest houses and information centers. Direct charitable service to both the local Christian and Muslim peoples of the Holy Land has always been part of the Franciscan mission, alongside archaeological research and historical documentation.

Among the most recent projects of the Franciscan Custos is a multimedia interpretive display at the 3rd Station of the Via Dolorosa. A museum of the history of the Franciscan Custos in the Holy Land is being developed at St. Saviour Monastery, with many additional initiatives planned by the monks and laity of this remarkable body of the Catholic Church.

The 3rd Station of the Via Dolorosa

What is their symbol?

The Tau symbol, a T shaped form of the cross, is among the best known marks of the Franciscans and is used throughout the Holy Land by monastics and laity alike. Scarcely a Catholic church in the Holy Land , Franciscan, Latin Patriarchal, or one of the many religious communities , is without a statuette or image of Saint Francis. Catholic homes and businesses across the region keep an image of Saint Francis alongside Christ and the Virgin Mary.

The Tau pendant is available in our online store.

So whether you are offering a prayer to Saint Francis of Assisi in your home parish, setting up your olive wood Nativity crèche, or gazing through your back window upon a statue of the cloaked saint, remember to ask for his intercession , that he may help you keep the Holy Land in your heart and mind throughout your day.

We at Bethlehem Handicrafts are proud to put the Holy Land in your hand by giving you the finest original Bethlehem olive wood carvings, crafted with care in the Holy Land.