Franciscan schools reopen in two Christian villages in Syria's Idlib province after decades

Two schools run by the Franciscan friars of the Custody of the Holy Land reopened on Sunday, Sept. 20, in the Christian villages of Knaye (al-Quniya) and Yacoubieh (al-Yaqubiya) in Syria's Idlib province, according to the Custody and Vatican News.

Father Khukaz Mesrob, parish priest of Knaye, told Vatican News that the friars opened the school in 1958 and that it "was taken from us in 1972." Vatican News and The Catholic Herald say the schools were closed for nearly six decades; SyriacPress says 60 years. Father Mesrob said the buildings later served for about a decade as a shelter. After the fall of the Assad government, the last refugees moved out and full renovation could begin. He said about 80% of the restoration is done, with help from church groups and the charity Pro Terra Sancta. He oversaw the work with Father Luai Bisharat, parish priest of Yacoubieh.

According to Father Mesrob, the schools have 80 pupils and 25 teachers. When the work is finished next year, he said, they could take nearly 300 students, including children from Muslim families. Vatican News says Yacoubieh teaches ages 3 to 10 and Knaye ages 10 to 17. SyriacPress assigns the two stages the other way around.

Father Francesco Ielpo, the Custos of the Holy Land, attended. "Rebuilding a school does not simply mean putting a building back together," he said, according to Vatican News. SyriacPress said the guests included the Vatican's ambassador to Syria, Archbishop Luigi Roberto Cona; Syria's social affairs minister, Hind Kabawat; its emergency and disaster management minister, Raed al-Saleh; and the governor of Idlib. It said Kabawat described the reopening as a message of social cohesion.