A statue dedicated to the Virgin Mary and one to St Francis were installed and blessed on Friday 28 May in the courtyard of the Terra Sancta School in Haifa. Br SIMON HERRO, ofm Director of Terra Sancta Schools Acre - Nazareth - Haifa. "The initiative stems from a desire to respond to the crisis that this period of coronavirus has brought. It is a way of seeking refuge, as was the case in the early centuries of the church, when we turned to our Mother, the Virgin Mary. Right now we desperately need to seek refuge as a school, as an administration, as teachers, as students. During the Zoom meetings we prayed to Our Lady to protect us and protect our country from every evil and every pandemic. As for St Francis, he is for everyone a figure of peace: whenever there are problems and wars in the world, we always turn towards Assisi." Br FRANCESCO PATTON, ofm Custos of the Holy Land "St Francis had a special devotion to the Virgin Mary because she made the Son of God, the King of Heaven, our brother." For the occasion, in the courtyard of the school, Brother Francesco Patton, Custos of the Holy Land, presided over a solemn Mass. He was joined by Archbishop Youssef Matta, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Acre, Haifa, Nazareth and the whole of Galilee for the Greek Melkite Catholics, and a group of priests, in the presence of the students' families and local authorities. In his homily, the Custos emphasised that "the installation of the statues is not only for decorative purposes but reminds us, each time we climb the stairs, that we must live the Gospel as St Francis and the Virgin Mary lived it." CHRISTIAN JUBRAN Student Terra Sancta School Haifa "I am very happy that the two statues have been placed in our school because they make me feel safe and light my way." Brother Patton then expressed the hope that the students would return to normal education next school year after the distance learning due to the Coronavirus pandemic. He emphasised the need to pray not only for an end to the Coronavirus pandemic, but also for an end to the larger pandemic of violence. Br FRANCESCO PATTON, ofm Custos of the Holy Land "As Pope Francis said, for the peace process it is necessary to know how to keep mercy, justice and truth together. And we ask this through the intercession of the Virgin Mary and St Francis." The two statues were designed by the Arts of Carved Stones company in Bethlehem. Br SIMON HERRO, ofm Director of Terra Sancta Schools Acre - Nazareth - Haifa. "The Virgin Mary is represented with the Rosary in her right hand, because our convent is dedicated to Our Lady of the Holy Rosary. While St Francis holds in his hands the dove, symbol of peace." After the blessing, they all went to the school hall for a moment of conviviality in an atmosphere of joy and brotherhood.