After 14 years of waiting and isolation, the presence of the Custos of the Holy Land has once again made itself felt among the alleys and olive groves of Knayeh, in the province of Idlib. The last official visit dated back to 2011, before the Syrian conflict raised a wall of silence around this area, making the villages of Knayeh and Yacoubiyeh almost inaccessible. February 9, 2026 thus marks a date of rebirth, with the arrival of the Custos to inaugurate the Chapter of the friars who serve in Syria.

The friars, coming from the various missionary realities of Aleppo, Damascus and Lattakia, set out on the journey to reach their confreres of Knayeh and Yacoubiyeh. This meeting, strongly desired by both the Custos and the friars, represents a tangible sign of unity for a community that for years remained isolated from the rest of the country.

The celebration of hope and roots

Later, the embrace between the Custos and the friars symbolically dissolved years of distance. The day came alive with the celebration of the Eucharist, presided over by Msgr. Hanna Jallouf, Apostolic Vicar of Aleppo. The choice of the place and the celebrant was not accidental: Msgr. Jallouf, himself a Franciscan, lived firsthand the darkest moments of the conflict precisely in these lands.

During the homily, the bishop emphasized the deep value of this assembly. He recalled the beginning of the Franciscan mission in the Orontes Valley, highlighting how the presence of the friars is today a light of hope for the entire region. Just a few kilometers from where the first followers of Jesus were called "Christians", the friars continue to bear witness to the Gospel with their very lives.

Gratitude and listening to one another

At the end of the Mass, the Custos of the Holy Land addressed words of deep gratitude to the Bishop and to all the confreres. He praised their tireless service, often carried out amid dangers and suffering. The courage to remain alongside the local population despite the difficulties was the guiding thread of his address, intended to encourage a fraternity that has never ceased to serve, accompanied by the grace of the Lord.

In the afternoon, the zonal Chapter continued in a climate of spiritual retreat. The friars gathered in a moment of dedicated prayer, placing themselves in listening to the Lord to prepare their hearts for dialogue. This phase of sharing is essential to plan the future of the Franciscan mission in Syria, starting precisely from mutual listening and reflection on the challenges that still await the Christian community in these lands.