Damascus, Aleppo, Latakia: the visit of Brother Francesco Patton, Custos of the Holy Land, to Syria lasted ten days. In his words, the warm encounter with the friars who care daily for the people who have suffered from the earthquake and the wounds that the quake has left in the landscape and in the people. Br FRANCESCO PATTON, ofm Custos of the Holy Land "I found a very tried reality, because 12 years of war had hit Syria hard and I would say especially some parts of Syria. There where we are it's clear that the war has hit Aleppo very hard. the part of the city that had already been hit by the bombing is now a pile of rubble. And I would venture to say that something worse has happened in the villages of the Orontes Valley as well, because there the structures had withstood the war: Knayeh, Yacoubieh...the earthquake collapsed the houses, damaged very heavily the church and the convent in Yacoubieh, and did serious damage to the church at the convent in Knayeh as well." Many people are still in tents. Friars and volunteers continue their work of solidarity, with all those in need and knocking on their door. Br FRANCESCO PATTON, ofm Custos of the Holy Land "Thank God the weather is a little better this last period, but at the beginning of the earthquake it was early February, it was cold. In Latakia the damage was mainly to the bell tower, so also in Aleppo, as far as our structures are concerned. What I then saw by contrast, beyond the destruction, was the great work of hospitality that the friars of the Custody did, because at the time of the emergency, so in the very first weeks, at the Terra Santa College in Aleppo they came to accommodate up to 6,000 people, settling them in the good way, a mattress, a blanket, what they could, a hot meal. A focus on everyone: the Christians and also the Muslims. And this I would say also resulted in help coming from other Christians and also from Muslims. Paradoxically, the biggest challenge is one that is not material: because the biggest challenge is to overcome fear." Br. Patton, as Custos, is the provincial minister, that is, the superior, of the Friars Minor living in all the places where the Custody of the Holy Land is present, including Syria. In his gaze are etched the faces of all "his" friars. Br FRANCESCO PATTON, ofm Custos of the Holy Land And the friars during this time, they also did - I would say - a work of consolation, of soothing. They have worked hard, not only to secure something material, but also to reassure people. Br FRANCESCO PATTON, ofm Custos of the Holy Land "I clearly expressed my closeness to the friars, because I believe that if they are in a dangerous, difficult, challenging context, to receive a visit from one's manager, one's minister is something that encourages. I explicitly expressed my gratitude to them, but above all I expressed my gratitude to the Lord. I am happy to see that the friars are living as friars, that is, that friars are doing what the Lord asks of us in the Gospel and what St. Francis pointed out to us. So that on the one hand they try to live in fraternity even in these very difficult contexts and on the other hand they try to be - as St. Francis told us - 'subjects and subject to every human creature for the love of God, serving everyone for the love of God. For Br. Patton, once the emergency is over, we need to think about rebuilding, and helping people to continue living there where the earthquake damaged even what were their businesses. With only a few days to go before the Holy Week, the Custos also launches an appeal for the Good Friday Collection, whose funds can also be used for this type of emergency: Br FRANCESCO PATTON, ofm Custos of the Holy Land Good Friday should be a time when all Christians around the world feel motivated to solidarity. What is donated to us through the Terra Santa Collection then we use it for the works to which the Collection is connected. So also to the maintenance of the Holy Places to enable local Christians and pilgrims from all over the world to experience the Fifth Gospel. And to preserve the encounter with the Holy Places and for the renewal of one's faith. Then the collection of course serves to support pastoral activities: also these scattered parishes in the Middle East. And then certainly also to support social works (like schools, like homes for the elderly). And then to support emergencies. And the earthquake is certainly an emergency. War is certainly an emergency. Refugees and migrants are certainly also an emergency, but they are those forms of emergency that are now more or less stable, so they are part of what also is our daily and annual commitment. Read More