Pope Francis and his “beloved tormented Syria”

by Jacques Mourad*

Homs (Fides Agency) - We have been celebrating Mass for Pope Francis every day since he went to heaven. We do this to remember him and pray for his soul.

He was a person who chose to live humbly, close to all the poor, both in Argentina, when he was first a priest and then a bishop, and in Rome when he became Pope.

This is a very important message, because it is the message of the Church, who is a mother.
The Pope, bishops, and parish priests are shepherds who accompany the children of this Church, taking them by the hand and walking toward the Father. Not only on a spiritual level, through prayer or teaching, but also through caring for their bodies. The last months of the Pope's life, spent in hospital, shed light on precisely these aspects, spiritual and physical. He himself understood the beauty of the art of care practiced by doctors and nurses.

He seemed fragile in recent times, but I remember his strong attitude and his clear stance before the world's most powerful figures. He was also strong when he met the leaders of Sudan and prostrated himself before them to kiss their shoes, asking them to agree to peace. He showed the same strength in Cuba when he met Patriarch Kirill.

I also remember my first personal meeting with him, which took place at Casa Santa Marta after my escape. It was my first face-to-face encounter with Pope Francis, at Mass in Santa Marta, after my imprisonment. We greeted each other and he said to me: “Pray for me.” I remembered when he said it for the first time from the balcony of St. Peter's Loggia on March 13, the day of his election. But when he asked me in person, it was different; it moved me deeply.

The last time I saw him was on December 7, 2024.
He welcomed me into his office with great simplicity, we talked about many things, and he listened to me the whole time. With his usual manner and laughter. The meeting took place in an atmosphere of joy.

This human aspect was important and very beautiful for me. I was nervous that day because meeting the Pope is always a moment of grace. I left Santa Marta with my heart full of joy. I felt like I was flying. For me, that face is the face of the Church: sensitive to the human and spiritual side. We all need this attention from the Church, which must be clear and strong but at the same time must practice tenderness. And Pope Francis has truly been an example of this.

There would be so much more to say, but I think the most important thing is to remember the space he gave to Syria. To stop the conflict, he called for a day of fasting and special prayer, just as he did for Ukraine. But I also think of the appeals he made for Gaza.

“Beloved tormented Syria”, he always referred to it as such, even when he wrote to President Assad asking him to respect human rights for prisoners as well as for the people, and to allow Syrian migrants to return home. To prevent them from dying, he fought to create humanitarian corridors, which still exist today thanks in part to Sant'Egidio, asking parish priests throughout Europe to welcome Syrian refugees. He himself met them in Lesbos, taking some of them away with him on the papal plane.

I remember the criticism he faced when he welcomed a Syrian Muslim family to the Vatican. It was a very important sign, which meant going beyond divisions based on religious identity to open up to humanity. In this perspective, the interreligious dialogue he promoted, as well as his friendship with the Imam of al-Azhar, which led to the Declaration on Human Fraternity, are also important. Now that he has gone to heaven, we must preserve his legacy and live it everywhere, because, as he showed us, the Church cannot remain closed within walls.

*Syriac Catholic Archbishop of Homs, Hama, and Nebek

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