The Terra Sancta Church ( la, Ecclesia Terra Sancta which means Holy Land Church), also alternatively Church of St. Francis, is the name given to one of the two

Franciscan , image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg , image_size = 200px , caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans , abbreviation = OFM , predecessor = , ...

-run Roman Catholic churches located in the Old City of Acre in northern

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

, the other one being the Church of St. John the Baptist.

History

According to historical documents of Acre, since the thirteenth century the Franciscans gave great importance to the city. They believed that the founder of the Order,

St. Francis of Assisi Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, better known as Saint Francis of Assisi ( it, Francesco d'Assisi; – 3 October 1226), was a mystic Italian Catholic friar, founder of the Franciscans, and one of the most venerated figures in Christianit ...

, visited the city between 1219 and 1220. In 1217 the first Franciscan monastery, founded by Father

Elias of Cortona Elias of Cortona was born, it is said, at Bevilia near Assisi, ca. 1180; he died at Cortona, 22 April 1253. He was among the first to join St. Francis of Assisi in his newly founded Order of Friars Minor. In 1221, Francis appointed Elias Vicar Ge ...

was built. After the 1291 conquest of the city by Muslims, the Franciscans had to leave Acre only to return in 1620. The Terra Sancta Church was established in 1673.

Location and description

The Terra Sancta Church was established in 1673. It is located in the centre of Acre's Old City, north of the

caravansary A caravanserai (or caravansary; ) was a roadside Pub#Inns, inn where travelers (caravan (travellers), caravaners) could rest and recover from the day's journey. Caravanserais supported the flow of commerce, information and people across the ne ...

known as Khan el-Faranj. The church is recognisable by the red spire of its Gothic tower, whose colour distinguishes it from other towers and minarets.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Terra Sancta, Church Roman Catholic churches in Israel Franciscan churches in Israel Buildings and structures in Acre, Israel Roman Catholic churches completed in 1673 1673 establishments in the Ottoman Empire 17th-century Roman Catholic church buildings

History

Location and description

See also

References