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Franciscan Mission visits compound at Baptism Site

31st October 2018 | West Bank | News | Clearing explosives

Fr. Francesco Patton, the head of the Custodia Terra Santa in Jerusalem, the Franciscan mission to the Holy Land, visited the churchyard of the Franciscan Chapel at the site of the Baptism of Christ today. The first clergyman to set foot inside the compound since 1967.

The HALO Trust began clearing landmines in the churchyard on 5th July 2018 and completed operations on 29th October 2018. The yard has laid untouched and unvisited for over 50 years, but today the Custos was able to walk in safety through a historic part of his church.

“For us it is an important day because this is the site of the Baptism of Jesus, to have this site cleared and safe of mines is very important in order to restore all the site and make it available to pilgrims,” said Fr. Francesco Patton

In an example of multi-faith collaboration, the site was cleared of dangerous explosive items by a team of Georgian, Palestinian and Israeli specialists. Our team gratefully received gifts from the Custos as a thank you for their hard work and for making the church yard safe again.

“I think it is a very important sign to have a site cleared of mines because minefield means field of war. Field is cleared from mines it becomes a field of peace.”

The Franciscan Churchyard is the third church compound to be completed at the Baptism Site, with four more yards to be cleared.

“I think that it is very important to support this kind of operation, particularly the HALO Trust who are conducting this operation to clear these places from mines," said the Custos. "Through the support of those who are financially helping, HALO Trust can continue to do this work which is very important because it is a work of peace.”

Gallery - clearance of the site and visit of the Custos

The Franciscan Compound after being cleared of landmines by The HALO Trust
The head of the Franciscan Mission talks with a HALO Trust staff member following the removal of landmines from the compound
The head of the Franciscan Mission and a HALO Trust staff member stand and look out of the window of the recently cleared compound
A armoured digger conducts clearance and removal of explosives from the contaminated Franciscan Compound
An armoured digger removes explosives by the gate of the Franciscan Compound
A HALO Trust deminer carefully uses a detector in the Franciscan Compound
The head of the Franciscan mission is shown a map of previous contamination by a HALO Trust staff member following clearance of the compound

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The HALO Trust is a company limited by guarantee. Registered in England No. 2228587. Registered Charity No. 1001813 and (in Scotland) SC037870. Registered Office: One Bartholomew Close, Barts Square, London EC1A 7BL

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