Welcome

The Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land has sponsored the Christian Information Centre (C.I.C.) since 1973. The Center is situated opposite the Tower of David, just inside the Jaffa Gate of Jerusalem's Old City. The aim of the C.I.C. is to provide information on Christianity and on the Holy Land - including shrines and holy places, the numerous churches in the region, liturgies, aspects of religious and cultural life, other activities, etc.

Obviously, in a city like Jerusalem, an information service is essential, and our aim is to provide a wide range of information for those wishing to learn as much as possible about Christianity in the Holy Land, and about the Holy Land in relation to Christianity.

The Christian Information Center has a three-fold mission:

1) Providing information and advise, by phone or in person, to pilgrims and residents.

2) Supplying media outlets, writers, scholars and religious communities with news concerning religious, scientific or cultural events taking place in the area - in addition to distributing general information about Christian life in the Holy Land.

3) Making its space available to the various venues for ecumenical meetings, personal contacts or other religious and cultural events.

We are very happy to welcome you to Christian Information Centre in Jerusalem!

For quick and easy information on the Holy Places and on Christian communities in the Holy Land, visit the Christian Information Centre near Jaffa Gate in the Old City of Jerusalem.

Find answers to your questions:

- opening hours;

- how to get to sites by public transportation;

- times of Church services;

- interesting events in the area.

This free service is provided by the Franciscans of the Custody of the Holy Land who welcome all visitors to Jerusalem.

Information Desk:

Opening hours:

Monday - Friday 9:00 - 17:30

Saturday 9:00 - 12:30

On Sundays and Christian Holidays closed

IMPORTANT NOTICE

The Christian Information Center is CLOSED until further notice

You can reach us by phone or e-mail

Phone: 02-627- 2692

E-mail: cicinfo@cicts.org

Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 16:00

Saturday, Sunday and Christian Feasts the office is closed 

Franciscan Pilgrims' Office:

Office for Mass reservation at Franciscan Holy Sites;

Pilgrim Certificates

Office hours:

Monday - Friday: 9:00 - 13:00

On Saturday, Sunday and Christian Holidays closed

IMPORTANT NOTICE

The Franciscan Pilgrims Office is CLOSED until further notice

You can reach us by phone or e-mail

Phone: 02-627- 2697

E-mail: fpo@cicts.org

Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 13:00

Saturday, Sunday and Christian Feasts the office is closed

History

The Christian Information Centre is located in a building which has had a long and interesting history. The original site was sold by a Muslim family to Dr Vahan Gaspar, himself a member of an Armenian family called Mordian. The sale was made possible through an official document of the Ottoman Empire, called a cushan. Once constructed, the street frontage of the building was used as the Royal Post Office of the Austrian Empire - the last director of which was a local Armenian called Artin Torasian. The remainder of the building was occupied by the Gaspar-Mordian family. The father of the family, Agop, acted as an agent for foreigners wishing to buy properties in the Lifta area. For example, it was through him that the property of a Muslim family called Assabi became the present-day Christ Church. 1918 the Post Office closed and was replaced by the Bank of Rome, which remained until 1940. At that point the offices began to be used as a Catholic Club.

In 1948, Dr Gaspar fled to Lebanon and later in 1958, Mr Maroun Tarsha, an employee of the Custody of the Holy Land, arranged for the building to provide lodging for people attached to the GEIN firm. This firm worked on the Mosque of Omar as well as on the shrines of the Custody of the Holy Land at Bethany and Dominus Flevit. Thus at that time the building had quite mixed uses – for accommodation and storage, in addition to being the home of Dr Gaspar’s sisters.

In 1964 the Custody of the Holy Land acquired the property from Dr Gaspar and a few years later (in 1971) began to totally renovate it. Fr Claudio Baratto OFM oversaw the work of the Israeli architect, Moshè Lewckovitz. Various changes were made - such as the removal of an embankment; a new off-centre entrance with a stairway; raised arches on the ground-floor; opening up the cistern and basement in order to build bathrooms; adding a ceiling, gallery and stairs to the patio.

The launch of the Christian Information Centre took place in June 1973 and was attended by the Custos of the Holy Land, Emilio Roncari, OFM; the Apostolic Delegate, Pio Laghi and Dr Paul Saul Colbi, Director of the Israeli Government Department which has responsibility for relations with Christians.

A brief historical outline:

• 1859 – 1917: Austrian Imperial Post Office (just 4 days for a letter to Europe!)
• 1917 – 1947: Bank of Rome
• 1947 – 1964: Private property of an Armenian Family
• 1964: Bought by the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land
• 1970 – 1971: Reconstruction of the building
• 1973: Opening of the C.I.C.

Office Hours of the Christian Information Center

The Information Desk is open on:
Monday - Friday 9:00 - 17:30
Saturday 9:00 - 12:30
On Sunday and Christian holidays closed

IMPORTANT NOTICE

The Christian Information Center is CLOSED until further notice

You can reach us by phone or e-mail

Phone: 02-627- 2692

E-mail: cicinfo@cicts.org

Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 16:00

Saturday, Sunday and Christian Feasts the office is closed 

Franciscan Pilgrims' Office is open on:
Monday - Friday 9:00 - 13:00
On Saturday, Sunday and Christian Holidays closed

IMPORTANT NOTICE

The Franciscan Pilgrims Office is CLOSED until further notice

You can reach us by phone or e-mail

Phone: 02-627- 2697

E-mail: fpo@cicts.org

Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 13:00

Saturday, Sunday and Christian Feasts the office is closed

The office is closed on the following Christian Feasts:

Immovable Feasts
January 1st: New Year - Mother of God
January 6th: Feast of Epiphany  
May 1st: Feast of St. Joseph 
June 13th: Feast of St. Anthony (Patron of the CTS)
August 15th: Feast of the Assumption
October 4th: Feast of St. Francis
November 1st: All Saints Day
December 25th: Christmas Day
December 26th: Second Day of Christmas 

Movable Feasts 
Holy Thursday (April 1, 2021)
Good Friday (April 2, 2021)
Holy Saturday (April 3, 2021)
Easter Monday (April 5, 2021)
The Ascension of the Lord (May 13, 2021)

Early closing
December 24th at 12:00 pm
December 31st at 12:00 pm

Franciscan Corner – The Franciscan International Bookshop

Just inside the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem, at the Jaffa Gate, you'll find a bookshop called 'Franciscan Corner', run by the Custody of the Holy Land. It's right on the corner of Omar Ibn el Qattab square and Greek Patriarchate Street, which leads to the Christian Quarter. In fact its very location gave us the inspiration to set up a bookshop, since it’s an ideal place from which to spread the message of the Holy Land.

The Franciscan Corner provides locals, pilgrims and tourists with a wide range of publications from the Franciscan Printing Press (founded by the Custody of the Holy Land in 1847), Edizioni Terrasanta di Milano (ETS - Holy Land Publications, Milan) , and other local and foreign publishers.

Books by professors from the Franciscan Biblical Institute, by scholars from the Centre for Oriental Studies in Cairo, and many other authors from within and outside the Franciscan family, are displayed in a welcoming environment. The Franciscan Corner stocks books in a variety of languages, with subject matters such as: scripture, theology, history, biblical archaeology and geography, maps, guided tours of the Holy Land, spirituality, ecumenism, social questions and projects which take place in the Holy Places.

The Franciscan Corner Bookshop also stocks DVDs, CDs, photo albums, and lots of information packs in different languages. As well as all this, we also have cards, postcards, biblical puzzles, souvenirs and devotional objects.

Do come and visit us at the Franciscan Corner - you'll find it a really special place in the Christian Quarter!

Opening Hours:
Monday to Saturday 9:00 - 18:00
Closed on Sundays and Christian Feast Days

Contact:
Tel. +972-2-6282218
E-mail: bookshop@cicts.org