Home » News » Syria: Pilgrimage of the icon ‘Our Lady of Sorrows, Consoler of Syrians’, blessed by Pope Francis, comes to an end

Syria: Pilgrimage of the icon ‘Our Lady of Sorrows, Consoler of Syrians’, blessed by Pope Francis, comes to an end

Thursday 15 September, Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, will mark the end of the “Console your People” initiative, to beg for peace in Syria and for the protection of all Christians in that country, which was promoted by Aid to the Church in Need.

The idea received the support of Pope Francis, who on 15 September 2019 blessed the Icon of ‘Our Lady of Sorrows, Consoler of the Syrians’, to be sent on pilgrimage to the 34 Catholic and Orthodox dioceses of Syria.

Pope Francis blessing
Pope Francis blessing the icon of “Our Lady of Sorrows, Consoler of Syrians” in September 2019

Three years later the peregrination will reach its conclusion during a procession through the city of Homs, which suffered terribly in the first years of the war.

The official programme will begin in the Syriac Orthodox cathedral of Al Zinnar and end with a liturgical celebration during which the different Christian denominations will pray together in the Melkite Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace, which was rebuilt thanks to support by ACN after peace returned to the city.

The celebration will be attended by Melkite Archbishop Jean-Abdo Arbach, Syriac Orthodox Archbishop Timothius Matta Alkhouri, Greek Orthodox Archbishop George Abu Zakhem, and Syriac Catholic Archbishop Rami Kabalan. ACN will also be represented in Homs by, among others, Executive President Thomas Heine-Geldern and Father Andrzej Halemba, former project director for the Middle East, who came up with the initial idea for the pilgrimage. Father Spiridon Kabbash, the Greek Orthodox priest from Homs who was entrusted with writing the icon especially for this occasion, will also be in attendance.

The next day, 16 September, the icon will be taken to the monastery of Saint Elijah, in Rableh, where it will be enthroned. Over one thousand pilgrims are expected to attend. During the ceremony the president of ACN will place at the feet of Our Lady a book with a list with the names of the 1,271 Christians who were killed in the war between 2011 and 2022, according to data collected by Father Andrzej Halemba for ACN.

Carmelites praying
The Carmelite Sisters Monastery” in Aleppo during the Peregrination of the “Lady of Sorrows, Consoler of Syrians” icon

The final ceremony of the pilgrimage had to be postponed several times due to the pandemic. During this time the icon was safeguarded in the Carmelite Monastery of Aleppo.

The Syrian War has been going on for close to eleven and half years, and has caused at least 6.7 million internally displaced people, and another 6.6 million refugees, according to UN figures.

Don't miss the latest updates!

Religious Freedom: A global victim of authoritarianism, extremism and war

“Religious freedom is a human right, not a privilege” The…

Gaza: First Sunday of Peace after the Ceasefire

The parish priest of Gaza called on his flock to…

Pope thanks children who prayed for peace in ACN campaign

This was the 20th edition of ACN’s One Million Children…

Gaza: First step towards peace after 733 days of war

While indirect talks are taking place in Egypt between Israeli…

Rome to host official launch of Religious Freedom Report 2025

Religious and public leaders will be gathering on October 21…

List of News

“Just like St. Peter, I was freed by a ‘miraculous earthquake’,” says Pakistani Christian

Shagufta Kausar was sentenced to death for alleged blasphemy and spent over eight years in prison. She recently shared her story at the launching of the Religious Freedom in the...

“Prayer was my strength in prison,” says Sudanese Christian at the international launch of the RFR 2025 Report

Mariam Ibrahim was arrested for apostasy and adultery because Sharia law mandated that she was a Muslim, like her father, even though she had been raised as a practicing Christian....

Religious Freedom: A global victim of authoritarianism, extremism and war

“Religious freedom is a human right, not a privilege” The international pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) launched its biennial report “Religious Freedom in the World 2025”...