Aleppo

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The entrance into the Franciscan church in Aleppo, Syria, of the twins George and Johnny Jallouf, friars of the Custody of the Holy Land, who were ordained priests on July 6, 2024. The two ordinands are wearing the priestly vestments with which they were clothed during the ordination rite. They were 15 when the war in Syria broke out. Their vocation was born and grew amid the Battle of Aleppo. “I tried to attend Mass every day,” George recounted. “I was afraid, but I kept repeating to myself ‘I fear nothing because you are with me.’ This phrase guided me, reassured me, gave me peace.”

Different paths to same vocation: Twin brothers ordained priests in Aleppo, Syria

Jul 10, 2024

By Marinella Bandini

It marked the first priestly ordination in 17 years at St. Francis Church in Aleppo, a city that suffered massive... Read more

Over a year after the earthquake that hit Syria and Turkey in February 2023, restoration of Aleppo's Church of St. George has been completed.

A year after earthquake, Aleppo’s St. George Church rises again

Apr 23, 2024

By Souheil Lawand

The Melkite Greek Catholic community celebrated this week as the Church of St. George reopened its doors after undergoing restoration... Read more

A damaged street in Syria after the Feb. 6, 2023, earthquake.

In face of war and natural disasters, Church in Syria seeks to maintain people’s faith

Oct 12, 2023

By Ana Paula Morales

Syrian Catholic Archbishop of Aleppo Denys Antoine Chahda said the Church is working to “motivate [the people] not to leave... Read more

The restored Maronite Cathedral of St. Elijah in Aleppo, Syria.

Catholic cathedral in Syria that survived missile attacks reopens after restoration

Jul 20, 2020

A Catholic cathedral that was repeatedly struck by missiles amid the Syrian civil war was due to reopen Monday following... Read more

Refugees flee the Syrian Civil War in 2015.

Rebuilding broken hearts: A Syrian sister’s prayer for her country

Jan 31, 2019

By Courtney Mares

As the people of Syria work to rebuild the cities, hospitals, homes, and schools that were destroyed through years of... Read more

The scene of a May 2015 attack on Christians in Aleppo.

Aleppo's Melkite archbishop looks to rebuild city from the ashes

Aug 10, 2017

By Matt Hadro

After the Syrian city of Aleppo lost over half its Christian population during the conflict among government forces and various... Read more

Our Lady of Fatima statue in Lisbon, Portugal, May 9, 2017.

Sign of hope in Syria – Aleppo consecrated to Our Lady of Fatima

May 16, 2017

Still reeling from the Syrian civil war, the city of Aleppo saw a ray of hope this weekend with a... Read more

Among horror stories from Syria, a woman's unborn baby was cut in half

Mar 15, 2017

By Matt Hadro

As the Syrian Civil War begins its seventh year, Syrian doctors told members of Congress of the “unspeakable horrors” they... Read more

Vatican sends team to Aleppo in support of those suffering from the war

Jan 24, 2017

By Hannah Brockhaus

On behalf of Pope Francis, the secretary of the new Vatican department for Promoting Integral Human Development made a six-day... Read more

Pilgrim holds up statue of baby Jesus during the Angelus in St. Peter's Square Dec. 11, 2016.

Pope Francis prays for Aleppo, victims of recent terrorist attacks

Dec 11, 2016

By Hannah Brockhaus

During the Angelus for the third Sunday of Advent, also called Gaudete Sunday, Pope Francis made a special appeal for... Read more

In Syria, Aleppo's Catholics pray and fast for peace

Aug 11, 2016

As rebel factions continue to fight Syria's Assad government for control of Aleppo, Syria's largest city, Christians in the metropolis... Read more

A priest stands before the ruins of St. Mary's Syriac Orthodox parish in Homs.

How Christians in Syria keep the faith amid a civil war

May 5, 2016

By Matt Hadro

In a Christian neighborhood inside war-torn Syria, a young boy was waiting to be discharged from a hospital after undergoing... Read more

Bishop Antoine Audo of Aleppo, Syria, in Rome on Sept. 16, 2015.

We want solutions, not guns – a Syrian bishop speaks out

Sep 16, 2015

By Elise Harris

Outside entities who drive the Syrian war – either through the selling of arms or their own political and strategic... Read more

Interior of a damaged church building in Aleppo, April 2015.

A modern-day St Francis? Archbishop works to rebuild Syrian Church amid destruction

May 15, 2015

By Adelaide Mena, Matt Hadro

A four-year civil war in Syria has left a mounting death toll and displaced millions of persons, but one bishop... Read more

Gregorios Yohanna Ibrahim, the Syriac Orthodox Archbishop of Aleppo, who was kidnapped near the Turkish border April 22, 2013. Courtesy of Aid to the Church in Need.

Read the words of an Orthodox bishop kidnapped in Syria nearly two years ago

Mar 15, 2015

On April 22, 2013, both the Greek and Syriac Orthodox archbishops of Aleppo, Boulos Yazigi and Yohanna Ibrahim, were kidnapped... Read more

Jean-Clement Jeanbart, the Melkite Archbishop of Aleppo.

A Christmas message from Aleppo's bishop: hope for joy, peace

Dec 22, 2014

As Christmas approaches, the Melkite Catholic bishop of Aleppo has written a letter to his diocese looking forward to the... Read more

Aleppo in a time of peace -- a view from the Citadel, Oct. 1, 2009.

#savealeppo – International movement urges a ceasefire in the Syrian city

Nov 19, 2014

By Andrea Gagliarducci

As the battle over Syria's largest city has raged for more than two years, the Community of Sant'Egidio on Tuesday... Read more