The zonal Chapter of the Franciscan friars of the Custody of the Holy Land in Syria has concluded after days of intense spirituality and fraternal dialogue. It was not only an institutional meeting, but an authentic pilgrimage among the wounds and hopes of a land that, despite years of isolation and suffering, continues to cry out its desire for life. From the halls of reflection in Knayeh to the wounded stones of Yacoubieh and Ghassanieh, the friars traced the course for the future of the Franciscan presence in Syria.

A fraternity that becomes flesh and listening

The heart of the Chapter was the discernment on the quality of religious life. During the second day, after celebrating the Eucharist with the children and the faithful of Knayeh, the friars placed themselves in mutual listening to reflect on fraternity as a vital environment. In a climate of great honesty, the dialogue focused on the need to overcome individualism in order to rediscover the beauty of mutual obedience and spiritual sharing.

They discussed how to balance tireless pastoral service with a life of prayer that is true nourishment. In this context, vulnerability and numerical decline were reread not as a defeat, but as an opportunity to exercise Franciscan minority. The day found its fulfillment in the visit to the local families, especially to that of a confrere originally from the Orontes Valley: a gesture that made concrete the idea that every bond of blood, in this mission, expands to become family for the entire community.

A sign of life: the return of families

The choice to celebrate the Chapter precisely in these villages of the Orontes Valley had a profound meaning: to give courage to those who decided to remain or to return. In recent times, in fact, a phenomenon of hope has been witnessed: several families have begun to reinhabit their homes in the three villages of Knayeh, Yacoubieh and Jidayde.

This return was made possible thanks to the uninterrupted presence of the friars who, even in the darkest moments, never abandoned the mission, guaranteeing essential services and recently opening the "Terra Santa School". Seeing young couples who decide to bet on the future, returning to work the land and rebuild their homes, is the sign that life is overcoming destruction. The friars wanted to be there precisely to confirm this support and encourage others not to be afraid to begin again.

Yacoubieh: the return of the Custos and the value of fidelity

The third day marked a historic moment: the return of the Custos to Yacoubieh after fourteen years. The solemn Mass, which brought together the faithful of Knayeh, Yacoubieh and Jidayde, was filled with emotion. The Custos, visibly moved, underlined how the faith of Syrian Christians is a precious gift for the universal Church: "If with one hand I asked for material aid for you, when I was serving as commissary of the Holy Land, with the other I documented your faith which reached the whole world."

Through the metaphor of Jesus' "yoke", the Custos encouraged those present not to carry the cross alone, but to remain united to Christ so that the plow of their life may continue to sow good. The blessing of a statue of Saint Joseph remained as a tangible sign of protection over a village that, despite the scars of bombings and the recent earthquake, has never stopped hoping.

Beyond borders: communication and dreams of reconstruction

The final phase of the Chapter turned its gaze to the near future and to the new challenges of modernity. The friars discussed the importance of using social media to bring the voice of the Syrian mission to every corner of the earth, transforming communication into an instrument of closeness and global witness.

Particularly significant was the visit to Ghassanieh, a village currently abandoned and marked by almost total destruction. Standing among the ruins of the convent and the church was not only an act of memory, but a declaration of intent: the desire of the Custody is to rehabilitate these structures to encourage the faithful to return and rebuild their homes. The presence of the Custos in that silent place rekindled hope for a future reopening of the mission.

Towards resurrection

The Chapter concluded with the adoption of concrete steps to strengthen a presence that wants to be fraternal, contemplative and evangelical. The friars of Syria return to their services in Aleppo, Damascus, Lattakia and in the Orontes Valley with renewed certainty: despite a thousand hardships, being a gift to one another is the master path to proclaim the resurrection of this wounded Country.