” “It will be a Christmas to remember, the one that will be experienced by 24 Christian families of Bethlehem. On November 25th, the Custodian of the Holy Land, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, will unveil Saint Catherine’s apartment block, composed of 24 flats for the Latin Christians of the city. This building is part of the restoration and new buildings scheme undertaken by the Custody to the benefit of the Christians of Bethlehem. The plan, states the Custody, meets several requirements: "providing a home to the Christian families of the city; offering employment opportunities; curbing the emigration of the Christian families; bringing the Church close to its congregations again; enhancing property investments in the country; guarding and preserving property in the Holy Land for the good of society". Nearly 70 houses are being built in Bethlehem, although they are not enough to cater to the families’ needs. All houses have a surface of 115 square metres, consisting of three bedrooms, two bathrooms, one living room, a balcony and a furnished kitchen. The new tenants will pay a rent of about 200 US dollars, much less than the usual city rents, which range from 400 to 600 US dollars. The cost of "Saint Catherine’s" apartment block is 5 million US dollars, funded by the Custody of the Holy Land, with the aid of Europe and the USA. Other works are under way in Jerusalem (Betfage), Jericho, Nazareth and Jaffa.” “
