CT News
Feb. 19, 2026 : Ash Wednesday signals not only the start of Lent but also a call to remember those in the Holy Land. Each year, the Pro Terra Sancta Collection (Collection for the Holy Land) invites people around the world to offer their support to the holy sites in the Middle East.
Stemming from the Pope's wishes to strengthen the bond between all Christians in the world, the Collection traditionally takes place on Good Friday. However, on Ash Wednesday, the Custos of the Holy Land, Fr. Francesco Ielpo, OFM, issued a letter encouraging everyone to get involved.
War, violence, and insecurity are ongoing realities in Gaza, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, and Syria. The situation only worsened as pilgrims stopped visiting—aggravating “a situation already complicated for many families who no longer have the means to support themselves.”
Fr. Ielpo says the “Pontifical Collection Pro Terra Sancta is not just a gesture of solidarity: it is a concrete sign of communion with the Church of Jerusalem.” With the money raised by the collection, schools, parishes, charitable works, social projects, and emergency interventions are supported—which in turn means keeping alive the Christian presence in these holy places.
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