The photographic exhibition "The Guardians of the Tomb of Christ" arrives i

The photographic exhibition "The Guardians of the Tomb of Christ" arrives in Murcia (Spain)

07-02-25

Next Tuesday 11 February 2025, at 16:30 hours, the photographic exhibition "The Guardians of the Tomb of Christ" will be inaugurated outside the Theological Institute of Murcia (ITM). This exhibition, sponsored by the Catholic University of Murcia (UCAM) and the ITM, offers an intimate view of the daily life of the Franciscan friars in the Holy Land.

The exhibition presents a selection of 30 photographs captured by Thomas Coex, photographer for the AFP agency, who had the privilege of documenting both public and private moments of the Franciscan community. This is the first time that a photojournalist has been able to enter into the inner life of the Custody of the Holy Land, portraying everything from liturgies at the Holy Sepulchre to moments of prayer, work and rest for the friars.

Thomas Coex shared his experience in this regard: "They got used to my presence and I was able to portray moments which until then had remained in the private sphere of the community. There are moments that particularly touched me, such as when I had the opportunity to accompany the Custos on Good Friday during his prayer at the Tomb of Christ. This place is the epicentre of the faith of millions of people who cross the world to enter and stay for just a few moments.

The exhibition offers a visual journey through the life of the friars, from the beginning of their Franciscan formation to their last days in the convent infirmary. Through these images, the public can appreciate the dedication and commitment of the Franciscans in their mission to guard the Holy Places and serve the local Christian communities.

The exhibition was previously inaugurated in Madrid, outside the Basilica of San Francisco el Grande, where it was on display until January 2025. During the inauguration in Madrid, the president of the Obra Pía, Xabier Martí, stressed: "This exhibition allows us to see part of the commendable work of the Franciscans living in the Middle East. In these photographs we see them not only as guardians of the Holy Places, but we also discover their more human side: in their moments of prayer, practising sport, visiting the elderly or attending to the sick. The photographer has managed to bring us closer to the Franciscan friars in such an intimate and complicit way, to their humble but tremendously generous life at the service of the most needy".

Friar Toni Choucry, Bursar of the Custody of the Holy Land, added: "Now that pilgrims cannot go to the Holy Land, we wanted to bring the Holy Land here, through this photographic exhibition, which shows a whole life dedicated to the service of Christians with four main objectives: to recover the holy places, which are so important for Christianity, to care for the Christian communities of the Mother Church of Jerusalem, to create schools that allow peaceful coexistence between different religions and cultures, and to welcome pilgrims and show them the Holy Land by accompanying their pilgrimage. I hope that this exhibition will be a sign of solidarity with the Christians of the Holy Land and those who suffer all over the world".

The arrival of this exhibition in Murcia is a unique opportunity for Murcians and visitors to learn about the work of the Franciscans in the Holy Land. The exhibition will be open to the public from its inauguration on 11 February until May 2025, in the exterior of the Theological Institute of Murcia, located in Plaza Beato Andrés Hibernón, 3, 30001 Murcia.

The Commissariat of the Holy Land invites all those interested to attend the opening and to visit the exhibition during their stay in Murcia. This exhibition not only highlights the religious work of the Franciscans, but also their more human and close side, offering a complete perspective of their life and mission in the most sacred places for Christianity.

For further information: comisariots@ofminmaculada.org

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