Syria: Franciscan monk killed in raid on monastery

(Vatican Radio) The Custody of the Holy Land has announced the death of Fr Franҫois Mourad, a Syrian monk, and the assault of the Franciscan monastery of St Anthony of Padua in Ghassanieh, a predominantly Christian village in the district of Jisr al-Shughur in the province of Idlib, near the border with Turkey.
Father François Mourad was apparently alone in the monastery when it was completely pillaged.
The circumstances surrounding his death are not clear.
Father François was well known in this region to which he retired several years ago to live as a hermit. After completing his novitiate in Rome as a Franciscan of the Custody, he heard a more urgent call from the Lord to lead a contemplative life.

Since the beginning of the war in Syria, he left his hermitage to be with a friar in fragile health and to serve a neighboring community of religious sisters, as well as to seek a bit more security. The tragic circumstances of his death are particularly painful.

The Custody’s presence in Syria is multifaceted, having always followed its mission of service to the people and continuing to do so in these troubled times, without political or religious distinction.


Fr. Mourad was just one of the many men and women religious putting their faith on the front line in Syria, refusing to abandon the communities they serve, Christian and Muslim. They stay because they want to be a sign of hope, light and comfort to people in the midst of destruction. Mons. Kozar is President of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA).

Speaking to Emer McCarthy he described how at their recent meeting here at the Vatican’s Congregation for Eastern Churches, the Reunion of Aid Agencies for Oriental Churches (ROACO) heard from representatives of this silent network that stretches across Syria.

Among them Franciscan priest, Fr. Hanna. He lives in a small village north of Aleppo the scene of a constant tug of war between government forces and rebels He spoke of how he rings the bell to mark the hours of the day and as a sign of hope for the whole population. In Damascus, Aleppo, Homs and other cities, the Sisters of the Good Shepherd also provide continuous assistance to the displaced, particularly women and children in distress, bringing clean clothes, food and words of comfort.

“More than money these people need our support” said Mons. Kozar. “They need us to lobby our governments, our Congressmen our representatives to put an end to this war now!” Listen: