Father Paolo Oglio (s.j.), detained by jihadists in Syria

After Pope Francis the First, it’s the turn of Italian Foreign Affaires Minister Emma Bonino to express her concern for the life of the Italian priest Dall’Oglio, held by the Syrian ’’revolutionaries’’ since July 29th 2013.

The Jesuit—who moved about twenty years ago to Syria, where he restored the Saint-Moïse-l’Abyssin monastery (« Mar Moussa »)—became an icon of the ’’revolution’’ and one of it’s major international propagandists.

Following the non-renewal of his residence permit, he first obtained the support of the pro-Israeli media, then that of the Catholics, and accomplished a triumphant tour in the United-States and in Europe. Upon his illegal reentry into Syria, he was cheered by the jihadists in Raqqa. He intended to rally the Kurds in support of the ’’Iraqi and Levant Islamic State’’ (affiliated Al-Qaida organization) in order to overthrow the government. However, he’s been detained by the jihadists in unknown circumstances.

For many years, the missionary had raised doubts within the country about his motivations. He proclaimed his desire to promote the "islam-christian dialogue’’, when those two confessions not only live side by side, but have also collaborated in peace for centuries. What could this call for a dialogue possibly mean on the part of a European, when it is the Levantines who should be teaching tolerance to the Europeans ? Some are concerned that he may create the problem that he pretented to solve...which is what his ’’dear revolution’’ did, with the support of NATO and the Arab States of the Persian Gulf.

The western media have focused a considerable amount of attention on the missionary Paolo Dall’Oglio, supporting the ’’revolution’’ in Syria. His words were never harsh enough to stigmatize the political position of the Eastern christians, in particular that of the patriarchs, whom he regards as ’’hostages of the dictatorship’’. Thus, the media refrained from giving the floor to the Syrian clergy, the only one qualified to represent it’s followers.

It’s in Damascus that Saint Paul of Tarsus created Christianity, as a distinct religion from Judaism. The Syrian Arab Republic hosts the most important Christian community in the Middle-East. The entire Christian clergy of Syrian nationality supports the government against the jihadists.