The expression Holy Land refers to the geographical region along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea where Christianity and other monotheistic religions arose. This area in modern geography encompasses largely the country of Israel and the western portion of the Kingdom of Jordan.
While the expression Holy Land is not specifically mentioned in the Old Testament, the concept of holiness is raised throughout the Scripture in the promises of God and the theme of a holy land for the people of God. The concept continues with the consideration of the city of Jerusalem, and its surrogate Zion, as the core of this holiness. For the Jewish nation the sense of holiness continued with the Temple as the center of Jewish religious observance and worship.
For Christians, this Holy Land is the region where the Savior, Jesus Christ, made his appearance to man as the Messiah, conducted his ministry teaching the kingdom of God, his transfiguration, and ultimately sacrificing himself to save us from our sins, then rising from the dead on the third day as he prophesied.