On Good Friday, the Catholic Church throughout the world takes up a very special collection – the “Collection for the Holy Land.” This special collection originated from the Popes’ wishes to maintain a strong bond between the Holy Places of the Holy Land and all Christians of the world. It is the main source of sustenance for life around the Holy Places. It is also the tool through which the Custody of the Holy Land, a custodian priory of the Franciscan order in Jerusalem, is able to sustain and carry forward this important mission.  This priory is called: to preserve the holy places, the stones of memory, and to favor the Christian presence, the living stones of the Holy Land, through many activities of solidarity such as the maintenance of pastoral, educational, welfare, health and social structures.

In many Lieutenancies, the Knights and Dames of the Order take a special role in the Good Friday Collection by giving witness to the needs of the Holy Land and serving as ushers in taking up the collection.