(ZENIT News / Jerusalem-Rome, 06.24.2025).- A new chapter begins for the Franciscan presence in the Holy Land with the confirmation of Italian friar Francesco Ielpo, OFM, as Custos of the Holy Land and Guardian of Mount Zion. The appointment, confirmed by Pope Leo XIV following the election by the Franciscan Order’s General Minister and his Definitory, comes at a time of profound challenge and opportunity in the region.
Ielpo steps into the role previously held by Francesco Patton, who led the Custody since 2016 and whose mandate could not be extended further under Franciscan statutes. His predecessor’s nine-year tenure was marked by growing instability in the Middle East, a situation that now falls into the lap of his successor — a man who has spent decades in both pastoral and administrative roles across Italy and the broader Franciscan mission network.
Born in Lauria, southern Italy, in 1970 and raised in the Milan diocese, Ielpo’s long journey to Jerusalem began with his religious profession in 1998 and his ordination in 2000. With years of experience as an educator, rector, and provincial definitor, his path gradually aligned more closely with the mission in the Holy Land. From 2013 onward, he served as Commissary for the Holy Land, first in Lombardy and then for all Northern Italy, guiding countless pilgrims to the sacred sites and advocating for Christian communities throughout the region.
Most recently, Ielpo served as president of the Terra Santa Foundation and as delegate of the Custos for Italy — roles that prepared him to lead not only spiritually but also structurally. His appointment was announced in a letter from General Minister Fr. Massimo Fusarelli, who underscored the weight of this mission during a time marked by escalating conflict and humanitarian suffering in the region.
“The mission of the Custody in the Holy Land is no longer simply pastoral,” wrote Fusarelli, “but increasingly a witness of peace amid devastation, and a call to reconciliation where hatred threatens to take root.” He described this ministry as “martyrial,” urging friars not to act as hired hands who flee danger, but as brothers who remain.
The Custos of the Holy Land oversees Franciscan friars in Cyprus, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, and a host of affiliated communities from Argentina to the United States. He also bears the title of Guardian of Mount Zion, linked to the Cenacle — the site traditionally associated with the Last Supper and the early residence of the Franciscans in Jerusalem. The Custody maintains 66 commissariats and 31 vice-commissariats worldwide, all tasked with promoting pilgrimages and supporting Christian life in the land where the Gospel was first proclaimed.
Upon receiving confirmation of his new role, Ielpo acknowledged the heavy burden of expectation: “The task entrusted to me feels overwhelmingly disproportionate to my own person,” he admitted, “especially in this historical moment.” Yet, his deep roots in both Franciscan spirituality and educational leadership suggest a balance of humility and preparedness.
This transition arrives not only in a time of internal transition within the Order but amid renewed international attention to the Holy Land. With rising violence and fragile political alliances, the Franciscan presence — visible, steady, and centuries old — remains a unique bridge between faith traditions and peoples.
As the Custody looks toward its 800th year of uninterrupted presence in Jerusalem, the mission under Ielpo’s guidance will likely navigate not only spiritual terrain, but the urgent realities of diplomacy, displacement, and interreligious dialogue. With him at the helm, the Franciscans renew their ancient promise: to remain as brothers, not soldiers — servants of peace in the cradle of faith.
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