Syria: Fr. Paolo Dall’Oglio: missing for ten years

It has been ten years since the Italian Jesuit priest, Fr. Paolo Dall’Oglio, was taken captive by ISIS in Ragga, Syria, and disappeared. His whereabouts remain unknown to this day.    

 Fr. Paolo dedicated his life to rebuilding the Mar Mousa monastery and creating a community at the burial site of St. Moses the Ethiopian, where he established the Deir Mar Musa community. The sixth-century monastery was abandoned and in a state of disrepair when he arrived in Syria in 1982.  

His deep understanding of Qur’anic Studies, with a doctorate from Rome’s Gregorian University, enabled him to foster relationships with the Islamic community. Fr. Paolo’s mission was centred on prayer, hospitality, and building bridges between different faiths. Over time, the monastery has become a hub for interfaith dialogue. The international foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has been supporting the community in its mission for many years.   

Today, July 29, the date of his disappearance, as we remember Fr. Paolo, we honour his memory and contributions to interfaith dialogue in Syria. Our thoughts and prayers are with him, his loved ones, and the Deir Mar Musa community founded and nurtured by him for many years. May his legacy continue to inspire us all to work towards a society where interfaith dialogue and harmony prevail.