In the heart of the Old City of Jerusalem, the friars of the Custody of the Holy Land gathered on Tuesday, September 8, 2026 in the Basilica of Saint Anne to celebrate the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The church stands in one of the most symbolic places of Jesus Christ’s earthly journey. Next to it is the Pool of Bethesaida, where the Gospel of John recounts the healing of the paralytic by the Lord.

Meanwhile, the church is built on the site that recalls an ancient tradition linked to the Protoevangelium of James, and where it is believed the house of Anne and Joachim, the parents of the Virgin, and therefore Her birthplace, was located. Built in the 12th century, the basilica is one of the most important examples of Crusader architecture in Jerusalem. The Custody has preserved for centuries the right to celebrate the feast of the Nativity of Mary here. A feast that today was also enriched by the presence of the Deputy Vice Consul General of France in Jerusalem, Romain Le Floc'h. Since the basilica, in addition to being the “home” of the White Fathers in the Holy City, is also an integral part of the French National Domain in the Holy Land.

The celebration, which began with the procession of the friars and the Missionaries of Africa to the altar, was presided over by Fr. Stéphane Milovitch. In the homily, in front of the gathered faithful, the father recalled the centuries-old presence of the Friars Minor: “For centuries, defying the vicissitudes of history, the sons of Saint Francis have remained the faithful guardians of the Holy Places”. This indissoluble bond between the Order and the Holy Land, symbolized precisely by the Custody, was recalled several times by Milovitch, who emphasized the importance of not forgetting the place where the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin is celebrated. This day, so important for the Church, cannot in fact be commemorated “abstracting from the world around us”. And in the homily, the friar reiterated that the mission of the Church must be to recall “the inalienable dignity of every human person”. A goal that must be achieved with “the courage of hope”. And for this, the gentleness of the Virgin Mary was invoked to be “true artisans of justice, fraternity, and peace”.

At the end of the celebration, the friars, together with the members of the Congregation and the faithful, then gathered in the crypt: the place of memory of the birth of Mary. An intimate and touching moment, marked by the litany raised by the choir. A gesture of gratitude for Her who accepted the will of God and gave the Redeemer to the world.