Origins of the Foundation
Our Mother Foundress Maria Ernestina Larràinzar arrived in Jerusalem accompanied by her sister Maria Isabel Estrada on 24 December 1921, with the intention of founding a house in Jerusalem.
The idea was taken into consideration by the Patriarch of Jerusalem Archbishop Luis Barlassina to whom Maria Ernestina presented a letter of Pope Benedict XV.
Our Foundress Maria Ernestina opened a house at Hospice Foundation Polish; she was offered four rooms by the Polish sisters for this purpose. On 2 February 1922 four sisters left Italy to come and form the first community, they reached Jerusalem on the 8thof February. During these first days of January, they received a blessing of Pope Benedict XV in a particular audience.
The four pioneers were; Mary Magdalene Martelli, Maria Teresa Urilli, Mary of the Annunciation Bartoletti and Mary Agnes Marrochino occupied the so mentioned Polish house which is still existing and is situated behind the current convent of the Missionary Daughters of Calvary.
On 25 February the sisters had the Blessed Sacrament present in the chapel and the house was blessed by His Excellency the Patriarch, accompanied by Franciscans friars.
During the year 1923, it is recorded in the book of Acts of renewal of vows that two more were members of this community and these are; sisters Altagracia of the Child Jesus and Elena of the Cross.
Spanish College Ntra. Sra. Del Pilar
The Spanish government had a house, close to the Consulate in Jerusalem's Old City near the Polish home. The Consul in effect during that time was thinking of transferring the Consulate to a place outside the city walls of old Jerusalem. He contacted our sisters and offered them the property which he had with the desire that the sisters would open a school and begin to teach children the Christian who lived around this place.
