Your contribution helps the
hospital to provide best services
The Friends of the Hospital
issued "The
Blessed Hands"
book to coincide with the celebrations of the 125thth Anniversary of the
hospital. The book relates in words and pictures the history and the
development of the hospital since 1882. The book exposes the financial and
administrative difficulties experienced by the hospital during the different
governmental changes since 1882. The hospital continued to work in spite of the
difficulties and problems facing it. However in the middle of the last century
the hospital witnessed its modern rebirth and now it has 150 beds and several
sections serving 250 000 people in Nazareth
and the villages around.
The book relates the stories of
the hospital's successes and its slow backs.
It mentions about the foreign and local personalities and institutions
that supported the hospital during the last 125 years. The book contains very
old and rare photos Nazareth
and the hospital reflecting their stories and developments.
The Book is a sincere and
authentic documentation of the story of the journey of the Holy Family
Hospital during 125
years. The book is on sale and the proceeds will help to improve the different
hospital sections and to buy the required medical equipments
How It All Began
In 1881 Prince Rudolph of Austria visited the Holy Land and was guest of
Mgr. Vincenzo Bracco, the Latin Patriarch in Jerusalem,
who was keen on doing something in Nazareth. Prince Rudolph offered to help and through
him Father Othnar was sent to Rome where he
succeeded to obtain the consent of his superiors to build a hospital in Nazareth. Father Othnar, a
zealsous Father succeeded in obtaining the support from the Knights of the Holy
Sepulcher in Cologne.
In 1882 with the little
money he obtained rented a house in the center of the town of Nazareth.
Founded a hospital then added an
outpatient clinic. Father Othnar was followed by Father Philippo Wagner who was
the first Priore director of the hospital and its medical doctor as well. He
inherited from his parents 18000 marks which he donated to the hospital and
bought a large plot of land on a hill west of the town where the hospital
stands today.
In November 1881 construction of
the hospital building started and was finished in 1884. The hospital was closed
in 1893 due to illness, severe economic measures and facing difficult Ottaman
laws. In 1899 the hospital resumed work and was enlarged to 30 beds and
in 1901 the church was consecrated. At the end of the 19th century a
road to Tiberias was opened dividing the land into two pieces, one of which was
sold to the newly arriving order of St. Joseph Sisters and with the money
improved the hospital. Austria
now helped to keep the Institution in Nazareth
working by giving the hospital a yearly contribution.
In World War I the
hospital was occupied by the Turks and the Germans damaged the building almost
completely. The British rule was not any better because they favored English
and French institutions while the Austrians satisfied themselves with a
pharmacy, outpatient and hospice. In 1948 the house hosted 40 Arab
refugee families until 1952 and by the time the refugees evacuated the
premises, the building was in a terrible condition. Priore Isfrid Scmmidt (An
Austrian) rebuilt the house as a Hostel.
In 1959 a new era opened
for the Institution in Nazareth
when it was entrusted to an Italian Order, Fate Bene Fratelli. Priore Eligio di
Mardhi, with wide experience in medical fields with a remarkable capacity of
organization took over. He was dedicated with a charitable loving spirit had
the ability to start with him a new era. The Order can be proud of the
achievements. Let us hope that the Divine Providence will aid and support them
in carrying out their charitable work to help the sick and ease the sufferings
regardless of the patients' nationality or faith following the path of the
Divine Nazarene and of their blessed founder Saint John of God.