Friends of Italian priest long missing in Syria hope for news
Friends of Italian priest long missing in Syria hope for news/node/2589874/middle-east
Friends of Italian priest long missing in Syria hope for news
Father Jihad Youssef carries a portrait of Italian Jesuit priest Paolo Dall'Oglio at Deir Mar Musa, also known as the Monastery of Saint Moses the Abyssinian, in al-Nabk north of Damascus on February 8, 2025. (AFP)
Friends of Italian priest long missing in Syria hope for news
Tens of thousands of people have been detained or gone missing in Syria during more than a decade of conflict, many disappearing into Assad’s jails
Updated 12 February 2025
AFP
NABEK, Syria: In a centuries-old monastery on a rocky hill north of Damascus, friends of missing Italian priest Paolo Dall’Oglio carry on his legacy, hopeful Bashar Assad’s ouster might help reveal the Jesuit’s fate.
“We want to know if Father Paolo is alive or dead, who imprisoned him, and what was his fate,” said Father Jihad Youssef who heads Deir Mar Musa Al-Habashi, about 100 kilometers (62 miles) north of Damascus.
For years, Dall’Oglio lived in Deir Mar Musa — the monastery of St. Moses the Ethiopian — which dates to around the 6th century. He is credited with helping restore the place of worship.
A fierce critic of Assad, whose 2011 repression of anti-government protests sparked war, he was exiled the following year for meeting with opposition members, returning secretly to opposition-controlled areas in 2013.
He disappeared that summer while heading to the Raqqa headquarters of a group that would later become known as the Daesh, to plead for the release of kidnapped activists.
Conflicting reports emerged on Dall’Oglio’s whereabouts, including that he was kidnapped by the extremists, killed or handed to the Syrian government.
Daesh’s territorial defeat in Syria in 2019 brought no new information.
Tens of thousands of people have been detained or gone missing in Syria during more than a decade of conflict, many disappearing into Assad’s jails.
His December overthrow has enabled his friends at the monastery to openly discuss suspicions Dall’Oglio might have been “imprisoned by the regime,” Youssef said.
“We waited to see a sign of him... in Saydnaya prison or Palestine Branch,” Youssef said, referring to notorious detention facilities from which detainees were released after Assad’s toppling.
“We were told a lot of things, including that he was seen in the Adra prison in 2019,” Youssef said, referring to another facility outside Damascus, “but nothing reliable.”
Dall’Oglio, born in 1954, hosted interfaith seminars at Deir Mar Musa where Syria’s Christian minority and Muslims used to pray side by side, turning the monastery into a symbol of coexistence.
Youssef said it became a bridge for dialogue between Syrians in a country that “the former regime divided into sects who feared each other.”
Some 30,000 people visited in 2010, but the war and Dall’Oglio’s disappearance scared them away for more than a decade.
The monastery reopened for visitors in 2022.
“I didn’t know Father Paolo,” said Shatha Al-Barrah, 28, who came to Deir Mar Musa seeking solace and reflection.
But “I know he reflects this monastery, which opens its heart to all people from all faiths,” said the interpreter as she climbed the 300 steps leading to the building, built on the ruins of a Roman tower and partly carved into the rock.
Julian Zakka said Dall’Oglio was one of the reasons he joined the Jesuit order.
“Father Paolo used to work against associating Islam with extremists,” said the 28-year-old, “and to emphasize that coexistence is possible.”
After Islamist-led rebels ended half a century of one-family rule, the new authorities have sought to reassure minorities that they will be protected.
Assad had presented himself as a protector of minorities in multi-ethnic, multi-confessional Syria, but largely concentrated power in the hands of the Alawite community to whom his family belonged.
This month, Jesuits in Syria emphasized the need for healing, noting in a statement that fear had “shackled” the community for years.
Youssef said that while “the regime presented itself as protecting us, in fact it was using us as protection.”
He expressed optimism that “at last, the load has been lifted from our chests and we can breathe” after decades of “political death,” adding that he hoped the new authorities would be inclusive.
For now, Youssef is intent on spreading Dall’Oglio’s message.
“We will return to organizing activities like he loved to do,” Youssef said, including a march in Homs province, home to Alawites, Sunni and Shiite Muslims.
“The regime caused deep wounds between the Islamic sects” in Homs, he said.
“Father Paolo wanted to organize a large procession there — to pray at the mass graves, to be a bridge between people — to let them listen to each other’s pain, grieve and cry together, and stand hand in hand.”
Gaza ‘land of desperation’ after 50 days of total siege: UN
UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini: ‘Hunger is spreading and deepening, deliberate and manmade’
‘Humanitarian aid is being used as a bargaining chip and a weapon of war’
Updated 15 sec ago
AFP
GENEVA: The United Nations warned Tuesday that Gaza was facing deepening hunger 50 days into a total Israeli blockade on all aid entering the war-ravaged Palestinian territory. “Gaza has become a land of desperation,” Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees UNRWA, said on X. “Hunger is spreading and deepening, deliberate and manmade.” After 18 months of devastating war and an Israeli blockade on aid since March 2, the UN has warned of a dire humanitarian situation for the 2.4 million inhabitants of the Palestinian territory. Israel has accused the Palestinian militant group of diverting aid, which Hamas denies. The heads of 12 major aid organizations warned last Thursday that “famine is not just a risk, but likely rapidly unfolding in almost all parts” of the territory. “You can see a clear tendency toward total disaster,” Jens Laerke, spokesman for the UN humanitarian agency OCHA told reporters in Geneva Tuesday. “It is true that right now is probably the worst humanitarian situation we have seen throughout the war in Gaza.” In his post on X, Lazzarini questioned “how much longer until hollow words of condemnation will translate into action to lift the siege, resume a ceasefire and save whatever is left of humanity?” The UNRWA chief decried that two million people in Gaza, most of them women and children, “are undergoing collective punishment.” “The wounded, sick and elderly are deprived of medical supplies and care,” he said, even as humanitarian organizations like UNRWA have thousands of trucks waiting with supplies that risk expiring. “Humanitarian aid is being used as a bargaining chip and a weapon of war,” he charged. “The siege must be lifted, supplies must flow in, the hostages must be released, the ceasefire must resume.”
Hamas official says delegation heading to Egypt to discuss ‘new ideas’ for Gaza truce
Updated 40 min 3 sec ago
AFP
CAIRO: A senior Hamas official told AFP on Tuesday that a delegation from the Palestinian militant group had departed for Cairo to discuss “new ideas” for achieving a ceasefire with Israel.
“The delegation will meet with Egyptian officials to discuss new ideas aimed at reaching a ceasefire,” the official said, following Hamas’s rejection of Israel’s most recent offer last week.
Islamist leader killed in Israeli strike south of Beirut: official
Civil Defense said an Israeli drone targeted a car near the coastal town of Damour
Updated 22 April 2025
AFP
BEIRUT: A military leader of Jamaa Islamiya, a Lebanese Islamist group allied with Palestinian Hamas, was killed Tuesday in an Israeli strike south of Beirut, a security official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
According to the Lebanese Civil Defense, “an Israeli drone targeted a car” near the coastal town of Damour, about 20 kilometers south of Beirut, and rescuers recovered a man’s body from the vehicle.
Gaza’s Christians ‘heartbroken’ for Pope who phoned them nightly
Updated 40 min 36 sec ago
Reuters
CAIRO/BEIRUT: Members of Gaza’s tiny Christian community said they were “heartbroken” on Monday at the death of Pope Francis, who campaigned for peace for the devastated enclave and spoke to them on the phone every evening throughout the war.
Across the wider Middle East, Palestinian, Lebanese and Syrian Christians, both Catholic and Orthodox, praised Francis’ constant engagement with them as a source of solace at a time when their communities faced wars, disasters, hardship and persecution.
“We lost a saint who taught us every day how to be brave, how to keep patient and stay strong. We lost a man who fought every day in every direction to protect this small herd of his,” George Antone, 44, head of the emergency committee at the Holy Family Church in Gaza, told Reuters.
Francis called the church hours after the war in Gaza began in October 2023, Antone said, the start of what the Vatican News Service would describe as a nightly routine throughout the war. He would make sure to speak not only to the priest but to everyone else in the room, Antone said.
“We are heartbroken because of the death of Pope Francis, but we know that he is leaving behind a church that cares for us and that knows us by name — every single one of us,” Antone said, referring to the Christians of Gaza who number in the hundreds.
“He used to tell each one: I am with you, don’t be afraid.”
Francis phoned a final time on Saturday night, the pastor of the Holy Family parish, Rev. Gabriel Romanelli, told the Vatican News Service.
“He said he was praying for us, he blessed us, and he thanked us for our prayers,” Romanelli said.
The next day, in his last public statement on Easter, Francis appealed for peace in Gaza, telling the warring parties to “call a ceasefire, release the hostages and come to the aid of a starving people that aspires to a future of peace.”
’PEACE IN THIS LAND’
At the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, on the site where many Christians believe Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected, the superior of the Latin community, Father Stephane Milovitch, said Francis had stood for peace.
“We wish that peace will finally come very soon in this land and we wish the next pope will be able to help to have peace in Jerusalem and in all the world,” he said.
In Lebanon, where a war between Israel and Hezbollah caused widespread casualties and extensive damage last year, sending millions from their homes, members of the Catholic Maronite community spoke of Francis’ frequent mentions of their plight.
“He’s a saint for us because he carried Lebanon and the Middle East in his heart, especially in the last period of war,” said a priest in the southern Lebanese town of Rmeish, which was badly damaged during Israel’s military campaign last year.
“We always felt he was very involved and he mobilized all the Catholic institutions and funds to help Lebanon throughout the crises that we went through,” said Marie-Jo Dib, who works at a social foundation in Lebanon.
“He was a rebel and I really pray that the next pope will be like him,” she added.
Francis made repeated trips to the Middle East, including to Iraq in 2021 where he learned that two suicide bombers had attempted to assassinate him in Mosul, a once cosmopolitan city where the Daesh militant group proclaimed a caliphate from 2014-17.
He visited the ruins of four destroyed churches there and launched an appeal for peace.
In Syria, Archbishop Antiba Nicolas said he was holding mass at the historic Damascus Zaitoun church when he was handed a slip of paper with the news.
“He used to say ‘dearest Syria’ every time he spoke of Syria. He called on all international organizations to support Syria, the Christian presence and the church in Syria during the crisis in the past years,” Nicolas said.
Arabs mourn death of Pope Francis, advocate of interfaith dialogue and human dignity
A day before his death, Pope Francis called in his Easter message for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages
He was the first pontiff to visit the Gulf when he traveled to the UAE in 2019, where he signed the “Document on Human Fraternity”
Updated 22 April 2025
ANAN TELLO
LONDON: He preferred to be called “Father” rather than “Your Holiness,” and in his simple white cassock, Pope Francis carried a message of humility far beyond Vatican walls. He washed the feet of migrants, embraced the poor and forsaken, and reminded the world that true power lies in service — not ceremony.
From the barrios of Buenos Aires to the marble corridors of the Holy See, Jorge Mario Bergoglio never lost touch with those on the margins. His papacy redefined what it meant to lead the Catholic Church in the 21st century, making space for both tough conversations and tender compassion.
The death on Monday of Francis, the first pontiff from the Global South and a revolutionary force in the modern Catholic Church, came a day after he appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to greet Easter Sunday crowds, despite recovering from a serious illness.
Pope Francis with Al-Azhar’s Sheikh Ahmed El-Tayeb. (AFP/File)
The passing followed a year of declining health. He twice survived life-threatening pneumonia in 2025 and spent more than a month in hospital before being discharged on March 23. He had continued to speak out on global issues almost until the very end.
Elected on March 13, 2013, following Benedict XVI’s resignation, Francis inherited a church in crisis — from widespread clergy abuse scandals to infighting within the Curia, the Holy See’s administrative body.
He was chosen with a clear mandate to restore credibility and accountability, quickly shifting the church’s tone and priorities. His leadership marked a sharp break from his predecessor’s, steering the church toward greater openness, transparency and engagement with global issues.
As the first Latin American, first Jesuit, and first non-European Bishop of Rome since Syrian-born Gregory III in the 8th century, Francis’ rise from modest beginnings in Argentina symbolized a church increasingly reflective of its diverse global flock.
His background profoundly influenced his pastoral mission. Social justice became a cornerstone of his papacy, with a focus on the poor, refugees and marginalized groups.
“He taught us to live the values of the gospel with fidelity, courage and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized,” Cardinal Farrell said in his Monday statement.
Among the most distinctive aspects of Francis’ papacy was his engagement with the Middle East and the Arab world. His leadership was marked by historic outreach to both Muslim and Christian communities, with a persistent focus on peace and human dignity.
A worshipper prays following the news of the death of Pope Francis. (AFP)
In 2019, he made history as the first pope to visit the Arabian Gulf, traveling to the United Arab Emirates. He later visited Bahrain in 2022. Both trips highlighted his commitment to interfaith dialogue, religious freedom and peaceful coexistence, as he met with regional leaders and addressed human rights concerns.
During his visit to the UAE, the pope and Sheikh Ahmed El-Tayeb, grand imam of Egypt’s Al-Azhar Mosque, signed the “Document on Human Fraternity.” The agreement pledged a lasting partnership to reject violence and extremism.
Francis’ commitment to peace was further highlighted in 2021 with his historic pilgrimage to Iraq, where he met privately with Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, a leading figure in Shiite Islam. This visit marked a significant milestone in interfaith dialogue and reinforced Francis’ efforts for peace and reconciliation in the Middle East.
In December 2024, Francis welcomed Mohammed Al-Issa, secretary-general of the Makkah-based Muslim World League (MWL), to the Vatican, where they discussed mutual cooperation and shared interests.
While his public statements often drew both praise and criticism, they consistently reflected his defense of civilian life and dignity in conflict zones. This advocacy extended to his final days.
On the day before his passing, Francis dedicated part of his Easter message to Palestinians in war-torn Gaza. “I appeal once again,” he said, “for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, for the release of the hostages … and for access to humanitarian aid.”
Munther Isaac, a Palestinian Christian theologian based in Bethlehem, expressed his sorrow over the pope’s death. “Palestinians, and Palestinian Christians in particular, have lost a dear friend today,” he wrote on X.
Pope Francis with the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I. ( Vatican Media/AFP)
He praised the late pope’s “true compassion to Palestinians, most notably to those in Gaza during this genocide,” highlighting his consistent outreach to “the Christian community besieged in Gaza on a constant basis, even from his hospital.”
His empathy extended to those caught in conflict. In 2024, he denounced Israel’s military campaign in Gaza as “immoral” and “disproportionate,” urging an investigation into whether the actions amounted to genocide. The statement sparked diplomatic tensions with Israel, but Francis remained steadfast.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini also mourned the pope’s death, acknowledging his “constant” and “persistent” calls for a ceasefire and the release of hostages.
“His voice has contributed to draw the attention to the significant dehumanization of the war in Gaza (and) beyond,” Lazzarini wrote on X. “It was an honor to meet Pope Francis. Deeply grateful for his (and) the Holy See’s support to Palestine refugees (and) UNRWA.”
By consistently advocating for a two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians, Francis left a legacy as a tireless voice for peace and human dignity, in the Arab world and beyond.
At the Vatican, Francis facilitated unprecedented encounters, including a 2014 prayer summit with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. This demonstrated his belief that dialogue and prayer could lay the foundations for lasting peace.
On Easter Sunday, his prayers extended to the Christian communities in Lebanon and Syria, countries “presently experiencing a delicate transition in their history.” He called on the church to “keep the Christians of the beloved Middle East in its thoughts and prayers.”
The death of Francis has been felt deeply across the region, where his leadership and compassion were revered by many.
A nun lights a candle next to a portrait of the late Pope Francis. (AFP)
Yeghia Tashjian, regional and international affairs cluster coordinator at the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs at the American University of Beirut, told Arab News: “Pope Francis is often considered a great person by many because of his humility, compassion and focus on social justice.”
He added that the late pope’s humble approach was reflected not only in his title, but also in his actions. “I think most of us will remember him as a humble church leader who always preferred to be called ‘Father’ instead of ‘Your Holiness’,” Tashjian said. “I believe this should be an example to many church leaders in the East.
“Most importantly,” he added, “he was not an elitist and was always concerned for the well-being of the people; this is why in his era there was a strong commitment by the Catholic youth to the church, even in Western countries.”
In his reflections on Francis’ legacy, Tashjian also highlighted the Pope’s deep concern for Lebanon and the wider region. He said: “When it comes to Lebanon and the region, it was always in his prayers. He called for a ceasefire during the war and the end of the war in Gaza; he often criticized political leaders for their lack of commitment to peace.
“I think the Catholic world and the rest of the world will miss such a humble leader. I hope he will be an inspiration for religious leaders around the world,” Tashjian added.
Pope Francis signed a landmark accord with Al-Azhar’s Sheikh Ahmed El-Tayeb. (AFP/File)
Francis also showed concern for the suffering of Lebanese people after the Beirut port explosion, which killed at least 220 people and injured more than 6,000. In August 2024, he met 30 relatives of the blast’s victims in a private audience at the Vatican and expressed his support for their call for “truth and justice which have not yet arrived.
“All of us know that the issues are complex and difficult, and that opposing powers and interests make their influence felt,” he said. “Yet truth and justice must prevail over all else.”
Moroever, Francis consistently championed Lebanon as an example of religious pluralism and a beacon of peace. On Aug. 26, 2024, he reaffirmed Lebanon’s vocation “to be a land where diverse communities live together in concord, setting the common good above individual advantage; a land where different religions and confessions encounter one another in a spirit of fraternity.”
Syrians, too, feel the loss of Francis, seeing him as an advocate for their plight. Camille Otrakji, a Syrian Canadian analyst, told Arab News: “Behind the scenes, Pope Francis sought to ease the suffering of the Syrian people by quietly urging the Biden administration to acknowledge and respond to their prolonged humanitarian crisis.”
Otrakji also cited some of Francis’ powerful symbolic gestures that resonated deeply in the region. “In 2016, Pope Francis washed and kissed the feet of Muslim migrants, saying ‘we are all children of God’ — a powerful show of support for Syrian and Middle Eastern refugees in Europe.”
Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, secretary- general of the Muslim World League, met Pope Francis in 2024 to discuss mutual cooperation. (Supplied)
He highlighted other moments that resonated with regional Christians, including the pope’s correction of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s claim that Jesus Christ spoke Hebrew. “Pope Francis reminded him that Jesus spoke Aramaic, a language that originated in the ancient region of Syria,” he said.
“In 2015, he signed a treaty that officially recognized Palestine as a state,” Otrakji added.
Arab and Muslim leaders offered their condolences following the Vatican’s announcement of Francis’ death.
On Monday, in a post on X, Al-Issa of the MWL wrote: “Our friendship with the prominent late pontiff had a clear impact on the cooperation between the MWL and the Vatican in serving our shared objectives.
“We commend the late pope for his wisdom, his principled stances, and his positive contributions, particularly concerning the Islamic world and its causes.”
I extend my sincere condolences to the Vatican State and the entire Catholic community on the passing of Pope Francis.
Our friendship with the prominent late Pontiff had a clear impact on the cooperation between the MWL and the Vatican in serving our shared objectives. We commend…
— Mohammed Al-Issa محمد العيسى (@MhmdAlissa) April 21, 2025
Likewise, the Muslim Council of Elders, headed by Egypt’s Grand Imam Ahmed Al-Tayyeb, extended its condolences to “the leaders of the Catholic Church, our Christian brethren, and all advocates of peace and coexistence worldwide.”
The group released a statement on X, saying Francis “embodied a singular example of compassion and becoming a historic religious figure whose enduring humanitarian legacy will inspire future generations.”
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi also offered his condolences, describing Francis as “a voice of peace, love and compassion.”
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed extended his “deepest condolences to Catholics around the world,” writing on X that the pope “dedicated his life to promoting the principles of peaceful coexistence and understanding.”
A woman prays as she attends a vigil to honour Pope Francis. (AFP)
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun delivered a statement on the presidency’s X account, calling Francis’ death “a loss for all humanity, for he was a powerful voice for justice and peace” who called for “dialogue between religions and cultures.”
Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas also paid tribute to Francis.
In a statement to Arab News, Muath Alamri, director of the MWL, expressed “deep sorrow” at Francis’ death, calling him “a man of profound humility and wisdom.”
“On behalf of the MWL, I extend our heartfelt condolences to our Catholic friends around the world,” he said. “Pope Francis was a beacon of compassion and a strong advocate for justice and human dignity.”
From the barrios of Buenos Aires to the marble corridors of the Holy See, Jorge Mario Bergoglio never lost touch with those on the margins. (AFP)
Alamri praised the pope’s lifelong dedication to service and interfaith dialogue, saying he “will be remembered for his efforts to promote interfaith dialogue in the region and beyond.”
He added that the late pope’s “work to build bridges between communities, promoting harmony and peace among people of all faiths, was a testament to his noble character and his unwavering belief in the power of mutual understanding and cooperation.”
He leaves a legacy of peace, social justice and interfaith dialogue, profoundly impacting the Middle East and inspiring global communities with his commitment to humanity and reconciliation.
