Hand Carved Olive Wood Holy Family Plaque with Holy Water Font, Bethlehem 7.9 inch

About This Olive Wood Wall Hanging

Hang this on the wall by your front door and it does something a printed sign never could. The olive wood grain runs in long horizontal bands across the face, the words "God Bless Our Home" rise out of that same wood in raised cursive, and right there in the upper corner sits Joseph, Mary, and the Christ Child in silver. It's a lot to take in, but it holds together.

The small scallop-shell font mounted below the Holy Family icon is sized to hold a few drops of blessed water, just enough to bless yourself when you leave in the morning or come home at night. At the bottom, a brass medallion seals in actual Bethlehem frankincense, the same resin the Magi brought. You won't find that combination in a gift shop anywhere. This olive wood wall hanging comes directly from the families who made it, packed and shipped from our workshop here in Bethlehem.

Features & Details

• ✓ Hand carved olive wood, made in Bethlehem
• ✓ "God Bless Our Home" raised in cursive across the grain
• ✓ Silver Holy Family icon, Joseph, Mary, and the Christ Child
• ✓ Scallop-shell silver holy water font, fillable with blessed water
• ✓ Brass medallion with sealed capsule of Bethlehem frankincense
• ✓ Measures 20 x 17.7 x 4 cm (7.9 x 7 x 1.6 inches), weighs 315 grams
• ✓ Pre-installed brass triangle hanger on back, one nail, no hardware needed

Product Specifications

Perfect As a Gift

A woman from a parish in Ohio ordered two of these, one for her daughter's new home and one for her own entryway. She emailed a week later just to say her daughter cried when she opened it. That happens more than you'd think with this one.

At $55 with free US shipping over $100, it's one of the more complete religious gifts we carry. Wood, water, frankincense, all from the Holy Land, all in one piece on the wall.

The Story Behind It

The workshop that makes this plaque is about a kilometer from Manger Square. Third generation carvers, all Christian families who've been doing this work longer than I've been alive. Most wall plaques you find online are factory-pressed resin with a wood-look finish. These are carved by hand, one at a time, and the grain on each piece runs a little differently because that's how wood works.

The frankincense in the base comes from the same region the Magi traveled through. Sealed into brass so it holds for years. The holy water in the font is sourced directly here in the Holy Land, from sites pilgrims have visited for centuries. No middlemen, no dilution. That matters to me, at least when I'm the one shipping it to your door.

Care Instructions

Keep the holy water font sealed when not in use and store any extra blessed water in a cool place away from direct sunlight. For the olive wood itself, if it ever looks dry, a small amount of olive oil on a cloth brings the grain right back. Don't submerge it in water and don't leave it in direct sun for long stretches.