The curtain has fallen on more than a century of Franciscan presence in the city of Aleppo, after the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary completed their service in the city, ending a journey that lasted for more than 110 years.
The announcement came during a thanksgiving mass held in Aleppo, where the head of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary convent, Sister Renee Koussa, explained that the decision to move comes within the framework of the congregation’s commitment to reorganizing its work and distributing its personnel, stressing that the step is not related to the security situation, but rather to the shortage of nuns, which necessitated their redistribution among the convents operating in Syria, coinciding with the opening of a new convent in Al-Hasakah Governorate.
The actual presence of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary nuns in Aleppo began in 1913, and since then their name has been associated with pastoral work and humanitarian service, in addition to their contribution to education, social and health care, as they provided their services to broad segments of society, and established a close relationship with the people of the city in all its components.
The monastic order also played a prominent role in managing well-known educational institutions, most notably the Franciscan School (Our Lady Mary) in the Al-Sabil neighborhood, in addition to its ongoing activity in supporting the poor and needy families, which made its presence go beyond the ecclesiastical framework to the humanitarian and social dimension.
The departure of the nuns represents the end of an important chapter in the history of the Catholic and Francophone presence in Aleppo, as for decades they formed part of a network of educational, social and health institutions that contributed to consolidating this presence within the city, leaving a legacy that has extended to successive generations.
According to the order, the pastoral and social tasks that the nuns used to carry out will continue, as the Salesian monks will take over the residence in the monastery and follow up on the religious mission and educational and social activities, thus ensuring the continuation of the services that have been associated with the place for decades.
