The Custos of the Holy Land, Fr. Francesco Patton, believes that the eight-century Franciscan presence in the Holy Land is strongly correlated with the places of remembrance: the shrines of the Incarnation and of the Redemption
An 800-year history... since the arrival of the first friars in St. John d'Acre to this day: for eight centuries, as guardians of the Holy Places of Redemption. Today, the friars look after 70 sanctuaries and they are present in 50 shrines. And they remained [in the Holy Land] primarily to praise God in the liturgy.