Cardinal Zenari expresses cautious optimism for Syria’s future

By Antonella Palermo and Lisa Zengarini

As Syria begins the new year without deposed President Bashar al-Assad, Cardinal Mario Zenari is feeling cautiously optimistic about the country’s future after fifty years of dictatorship and thirteen years of a bloody civil war.

Speaking to Vatican News, Italy’s apostolic nuncio said some recent developments offer reason for hope, but he cautioned that it remains to be seen whether the new leaders’ promises will be followed by concrete actions.

Mixture of hope and apprehension

On December 31, Syria’s new strongman, Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, met with Christian leaders in Damascus amid growing concern among Syrian minorities seeking guarantees of the new regime.

The delegation, received at the Presidential Palace, included Franciscan friars of the Custody of the Holy Land, Syrian-Catholic bishops and priests, as well as representatives of other Christian denominations.

During the meeting, the leader of the Islamist group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) assured Christian leaders that the new Syria will be inclusive, wishing them a Merry Christmas and a peaceful New Year.

“This event would have been unimaginable just three weeks ago and the bishops and priests present at the meeting left with a sense of hope for the future of Syria,” said Cardinal Zenari, who also met the week last the new Minister of Foreign Affairs, Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani, at his invitation.

“At the leadership level, there is an understanding of certain fundamental principles and values,” explained the nuncio. “However,” he added, “it remains to be seen whether words will translate into action.”

Christians must stay in Syria

Despite some shared optimism, fears persist particularly among Christians, with some still considering emigrating due to past experiences of persecution and uncertainty.

This mixture of hope and apprehension marked these Christmas celebrations in Syria. Faced with this situation, Cardinal Zenari stressed the importance for Christians to stay and contribute to the reconstruction of the country: “This is not the time to leave Syria, but rather the time for Christians outside the country to come back,” he said. “Christians had the opportunity – at least in words – to participate in the reconstruction of the new Syria, promoting values ​​such as human rights, freedom and respect for all. It is vital to be present and active in this reconstruction,” he stressed.

An unexpected “loss of hope”

The Vatican nuncio described the small signs of progress in recent weeks as a narrow “lack of hope” for a better future: “It is not a wide open door like St. Peter’s Basilica, but it is a beginning,” he said. .

Justice for the victims of the Assad regime, not revenge

Concerning the horrific human rights violations committed under the Assad regime, Cardinal Zenari stressed that these horrors, known before the opening of Syrian prisons in December, call for reflection “particularly on the part of the community international” and impartial justice to avoid cycles of revenge. . “To fall into a cycle of revenge would be disastrous,” he warned, while expressing gratitude to the many “good Samaritans” of all faiths who helped others over the years, even at the cost of their lives.

On the crucial issue of protecting women’s rights in the new Syria, the Vatican nuncio stressed that this should be a priority, “not only for Christians but for all Syrians.”

The international community must “work and observe” to help Syria rebuild

The Nuncio concluded by calling on the international community to actively support Syria in its reconstruction efforts, starting with the lifting of international sanctions, instead of simply “wait and watch” for deeply intertwined peace and development. “For Syria to become self-reliant, we must focus on rebuilding its economy, infrastructure and essential services,” he said.