The Custodial Curia and Its Members
The Custodial Curia, headed by the Custos of the Holy Land, brings together all of the services of the Custody of the Holy Land allowing it, wherever it is present, to live out its vocation in order to welcome pilgrims, serve the poor, carrying out local ministry and to guard and carry out the liturgical life of the Holy Places.
It represents all of the friars, both in local church life, and with the Catholic priests of the Holy Land, and through ecumenical relations and dialogue with other religions. Furthermore, it centralizes financial services, social assistance and communication (six magazines, a printing shop, a multimedia production center, the Christian Media Center and a website), all administrative services related to the friars (from training to appointments, to procedures to obtain visas). The Curia maintains relationships with the General Curia of the Franciscan Order and every monastery of the Custody of the Holy Land in the Middle East (Cyprus, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria) and those places around the world that fall under its direct jurisdiction (Argentina, Greece, Italy, Spain, are United) and the 66 Commissariats and 31 Deputy Commissariats of the Holy Land that are present in 51 countries.
The religious and official ceremonies give the different components of the Curia a very solemn appearance, but day in and day out, it works to serve the Holy Land and to help to welcome pilgrims. In recent years, several members of the Curia and other friars or lay people delegated to this task, welcomed thousands of pilgrims to St. Savior's, highlighting the current realities of the Custody, its work in the Holy Land and transmitting the “grace” of the Holy Places, in which Christianity's spiritual roots can be found.
The Custos of the Holy Land
The Custos of the Holy Land is the Minister Provincial (i.e. the major superior) of the Friars Minor living throughout the Middle East. He has jurisdiction over the territories of Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt (in part), Cyprus and Rhodes without counting the numerous houses or Commissariats in various parts of the world (worth mentioning are those in Rome and Washington).
The Custos of the Holy Land is the Minister Provincial (i.e. the major superior) of the Friars Minor living throughout the Middle East. He has jurisdiction over the territories of Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt (in part), Cyprus and Rhodes without counting the numerous houses or Commissariats in various parts of the world (worth mentioning are those in Rome and Washington).
The main task of the Custos, in addition to animating the life of the friars, is to coordinate and direct the reception of pilgrims who come to the Holy Land for pilgrimage and pray at the shrines of our Redemption. This task was bestowed by the Holy See over 600 years ago. The term used at those times to designate this task was "custody" of the holy places, from which derived the terms still in use "Custody" and "Custos ".
The first and most important role of the Custos, therefore, is to receive the pilgrims at the Holy Shrines, offering them spaces of prayer and making available hostels for those who cannot afford expensive hotels.
The Custos ensures that friars are available to receive and talk with pilgrims at the holy places. His jurisdiction includes all the Catholic Christian sanctuaries. He ensures their economic support in order that this important function is fulfilled.
Another mission that the Custos assumes is to coordinate information about the Holy Land and instill in the Christians of the world the "loving care" for these sites: archaeological excavations at the holy places, publication of ancient pilgrimages and above all, the study of the Bible through geography and history of these same sites where the events took place. For this reason the Custody has set up the SBF, FAI, FPP, to name a few. These activities depend mainly on the Custos who sponsors such initiatives.
Another important task the Custos undertakes is to care for and sustain, in agreement with the local church, the Christian presence in the Holy Land through various initiatives. This includes ministry to schools and parishes and is done in conjunction with the local church.
These initiatives clearly require not only the moral support of Christians throughout the world, but also their economical support. It is for this reason that during the centuries various "Commissariats of the Holy Land" were set up world-wide to foster awareness of the friars living in the Holy Land and simultaneously solicit funds to help sustain the work of the Custody.
All these Commissariats (and they are many) depend directly on the Custos . Given the importance of the role of the Custos he is not elected like the other Ministers Provincial of the Order. Rather, he is directly appointed by the Holy See after a consultation with the friars of the Custody and the presentation made by the Order’s governing body.
In the Holy Land, the Custos is looked upon as one of the main Christian religious authorities. Together with the Greek Orthodox Patriarch and the Armenian Orthodox Patriarch, he is responsible of the status quo, the code that regulates life at the Holy Sepulchre in the Nativity Church in Bethlehem. By right, he forms part of the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land (the Bishops of the local Catholic Church).
The Current Custos
Br. Francesco Patton
Custos of the Holy Land
Br. Francesco Patton
Custos of the Holy Land
The present Custos is Fr. Francesco Patton, who has been elected Custos of the Holy Land by the General Definitorium of the Order of Friars Minor on 20 May 2016 for a six-year term. On 9 July 2022, he was elected by the Chapter as Custos of the Holy Land for a further three-year term.
Fr. Francesco Patton was born in Trent in the diocese of Trent on December 23rd, 1963. He belongs to the Franciscan
Province of St. Anthony in Italy. He made his first religious profession on September 7th 1983 and his solemn profession on October 4th, 1986; then was ordained to the ministerial priesthood on June 26th, 1989. In 1993 he earned a Licentiate in Communication Sciences at the Pontifical Salesian University in Rome.
He served in various capacities in his province and also within the Order. He was twice Secretary General of the General Chapters in 2003 and 2009. Visitator General in 2003. Minister Provincial of St. Vigilium (Trent, Italy) from 2008 to 2016.
President of the Conference of Provincial Ministers of Italy and Albania (COMPI), 2010-2013.
He also served in many capacities outside of the Order: as member of the Diocesan Presbyteral Council and secretary of the Diocesan Pastoral Council of the archdiocese of Trent; professor of Social Communications at the Studio Teologico Accademico Tridentino; collaborator of the Diocesan Weekly, the Diocesan Radio and Telepace Trent; and enrolled with the journalists of Trentino-Alto Adige as publicist since 1991.
He is fluent in English and Spanish, besides his native Italian.
The Vicar
The Vicar of the Holy Land is part of the Custodial Curia.
He supports around the role of the Custos and, in his absence, presides over ceremonies and responsibilities that would be granted to the latter.
If the role of the Custos becomes vacant, it is the Vicar who, within 15 days, calls together the Discretorium Custodial so as to proceed with the election of a new Custos.
Br. Ibrahim Faltas
current Custodial Vicar
Br. Ibrahim Faltas
current Custodial Vicar
Egyptian citizen, born in Kaur and-Dawar in 1964.
In 1988, he entered the Province of the Holy Land.
In 1992, he made his solemn vows.
In 1992, he was ordained a priest.
From 2013 to 2016, he held the position of Treasurer General.
He was elected discrete by the Custodial Chapter in July 2016 for a period of 3 years and elected again at the July 2019 Chapter for another three years.
The secretary
The General Secretary of the Custody is a member of the Curia. He is not the private secretary of the Custos: this position is currently held by a lay person. He is, above all, at the service of all the mechanisms of the Custody, including, in the first place, the Discretorium. He prepares the agenda of the meetings of the Discretorium, subsequently drawing up the minutes and ensuring the implementation of the decisions that have been taken. He is responsible for all the correspondence of the Custody with the Universal Church, with the local Church of all confessions and rites, with the Franciscan Order and the Commissars of the Holy Land and, in the last place, with all the friars, as required by the service. He is also involved in most of the administrative affairs of the Custody.
Br. Alberto Pari
Current Holy Land's Secretary
Br. Alberto Pari
Current Holy Land's Secretary
He was born in Manerbio, Italy, on 29 April 1978. He holds a degree in Education as well as a degree in Holy Scripture and Biblical Archaeology obtained from the Studium Biblicum Franciscanumin Jerusalem.
He belongs to the Custody of the Holy Land. He made his first profession on 17 September 2009 and his solemn profession on 5 October 2013. He was ordained a priest on 29 June 2015.
As well as being the Custodial Secretary, he is the Custodial Chronicler, he teaches Judaism and Biblical Hebrew at the Studium TheologicumJerosolymitanum, he draws up the Acts of the Custody of the Holy Land, he is Director General of the Magnificat Institute and Head of relations with the Jewish world; he is also in charge of interreligious and ecumenical dialogue and Coordinator of Communications for the Custody of the Holy Land.
The bursar
The Bursar is elected to be in charge of the financial services of the Custody and to manage expenses and revenue under the direction of the Discretorium and in relation with the Commissars of the Holy Land. He also coordinates the personnel and the Housing and Rental Department which aids local Christians by allocating them housing belonging to the Custody.
Br. Tony Choucry
current bursar of the Custody
Br. Tony Choucry
current bursar of the Custody
He was born in Tahwitatel el Nahar, Lebanon, on 13March 1965. He took a degree in Law in Lebanon.
He belongs to the Custody of the Holy Land. He made his first profession on 16 September 2010 and his solemn profession on 5 October 2013. He was ordained a priest on 3 May 2014.
Before holding the position of Custody Bursar, since 2013 he has been the Superior, local Bursar and Parish Priest at the Convent of St Anthony of Padua in Tyre and Deir Mimas, Lebanon.
The discretorium
The Discretes make up the Discretorium; they are friars who are elected according to the different language groups (a linguistic group is represented by at least 12 people who speak the same language) and they are directly related to the Curia.
The Discretorium meets once a month to help the Custos in making various decisions.
The Discretorium approves the annual accounts and the reports of the Friars to who it has entrusted specific tasks.
At least once a year, it welcomes those responsible for formation, who must report on their activities. The Custos and the Custodial Vicar are members by right of Discretorium.
The Discretorium, in regards to specific situations, allow any friar or lay person to intervene in order to seek counsel and advice.
Br. John Luke Gregory
Discrete for the English-speaking group
Br. John Luke Gregory
Discrete for the English-speaking group
British citizen, born in 1958.
In 1991, he entered the Province of the Holy Land.
In 1996, he made his solemn vows.
In 1998, he was ordained a priest.
Doctor of Sacred Theology and Philosophy.
Since 2004, he has been the parish priest, bursar, local Vicar of the Convent of Santa Maria della Vittoria - Rhodes and vicar general of the Archdiocese of Rhodes.
He was elected as Discrete by the Custodial Chapter in July 2016 for a period of 3 years and elected again at the July 2019 Chapter for another three years.
Br. Alessandro Coniglio
Discrete for the Italian-speaking group
Br. Alessandro Coniglio
Discrete for the Italian-speaking group
He was born in Milan, Italy, on 20 April 1974. He holds a degree in Medicine and one in Holy Scripture.
He belongs to the Custody of the Holy Land. He made his first profession on 17 September 2004 and his solemn profession on 11 October 2008. He was ordained a priest on 29 June 2009.
Since 2016 he has taught at the Studium Theologicum Jerosolymitanum and at the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum; since 2019 he has been Secretary of the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum. He is currently holding the position of Custodial Discrete for the first time.
Br. Rashid Mistrih
Descrete Eastern group
Br. Rashid Mistrih
Descrete Eastern group
He was born in Gisserel-Choughour, Syria, on 1 January 1966. He holds a degree in Oriental Ecclesiastical Studies and in Islamic Studies.
He belongs to the Custody of the Holy Land. He made his first profession on 27 August 1989 and his solemn profession on 13 September 1992. He was ordained a priest on 15 July 1994. He was a Discrete of the Holy Land from 2004 to 2010. Fr Rachid was Minister of the St Paul Region and Delegate of the Custody in Jordan. Since 2010, he has been at the Terra Santa College of Amman (Jordan) as Guardian, local Vicar, local Bursar and Head of the School. He is currently holding the position of Custodial Discrete for the second time.
Br. Sandro Tomasevic
Discrete for the Greek-Slavic-Franco-German-speaking group
Br. Sandro Tomasevic
Discrete for the Greek-Slavic-Franco-German-speaking group
He was born in Rijeka, Croatia, on 25 July 1984. He belongs to the Province of St Cyril and St Methodius, Croatia.
He made his first profession on 1 September 2007 and his solemn profession on 17 September 2011. He was ordained a priest on 29 June 2013. He entered into service in the Custody of the Holy Land on 27 August 2017.
Since 2017, he has worked as Parish Vicar in Bethlehem and as the head of the Children’s Home. He is also a vocational animator of the Custody. He is holding the position of Custodial Discrete for the first time.
Br. Silvio De La Fuente
Discrete for the Spanish-Portuguese group
Br. Silvio De La Fuente
Discrete for the Spanish-Portuguese group
He was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on 10 October 1977. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Arabic Studies and a degree in Canon Law.
He belongs to the Custody of the Holy Land. He made his first profession on 17 September 2002 and his solemn profession on 14 October 2007.He was ordained a priest on 29 June 2009. Fr. Silvio was in Rome as Deputy General Bursar and Bursar of St Anthony’s Convent.
Since 2020, he has been Superior and local Bursar at the Convent of the Palms in Bethphage where he also holds the position of Moderator for Permanent Formation. He is holding the position of Discrete of the Custody for the first time