A full week (30/11-7/12) of serologic tests took place at Saint Francis Convent, Tripoli-Mina, by the volunteer Doctor Fiorella Gosetto that came from the famous hospital of Cottolengo, Torino - Italy.
This was a gift to Lebanon and to Saint Francis of Assisi for his 800 hundred years of the Saint in the cedars land(1220-2020).
The tests were made in the morning and in the afternoon.
One day was spent in Menjez village where the Franciscan Sisters have a big School including handicapped children and a Clinic.

Un'intera settimana di test sierologici ha avuto luogo al Convento S.Francesco di Tripoli per opera della volontaria Dott.ssa Fiorella Gosetto.
E' stato un omaggio ai Libanesi ed a S.Francesco per gli 800 anni del suo passaggio nella terra dei cedri (1220-2020).
Una lunga giornata di lavoro e' stata spesa anche nel villaggio di Menjez ai confini con la Siria dove le Suore Francescane gestiscono una grande scuola con inclusi bambini portatori di handicap ed un ambulatorio.

تم إجراء أسبوع كامل (٣٠/١١-7/ 12) من الاختبارات السيرولوجية في دير القديس فرنسيس ، طرابلس-الميناء، من قبل المتطوعة الدكتورة فيوريلا غوسيتو التي جاءت من مستشفى كوتولينغو الشهير ، تورينو ، إيطاليا
كانت هذه هدية للبنان وللقدّيس فرنسيس الأسيزي بمناسبة 800 سنة لزيارته لأراي الأرز 1220-2020
تم إجراء الاختبارات في الصباح وبعد الظهر

قضت يوم واحد في قرية منجز حيث يوجد للراهبات الفرنسيسكان مدرسة كبيرة تضم أطفالًا معاقين وعيادة

This is the situation of our Convent of Terra Santa -Saint Joseph, Gemayzeh in Beirut after the explosion on August 4, 2020, in the port. The Church and all the rooms of the Convent were in damaged seriously.
Now a group of volunteers and young Franciscans are cleaning and repairing the Church and the rest remembering the words that the Crucified of Saint Damiano said to Saint Francis of Assisi " Francis go and repair my Church which, as you see, is all in ruins!".
Those words today sounds to us like a prophecy.
In the near future our Superiors are thinking to make a big project to renew all the buildings respecting of course the old part of the Convent that was in the beginning the first Theater of Beyrouth.

Opera “Francesco e il Sultano” eseguita in Libano in anteprima mondiale 6-7/11/2021. Presenti Autorita’ religiose e civili compresa una delegazione dell’Ambsciata italiana in libano.
L’Opera “S.Francesco e il Sultano” ideata e progettata da noi a Tripoli e’uno dei frutti di un lungo e laborioso lavoro iniziato prima delle celebrazioni per l’Ottavo centenario (1219-2019 dell’incontro tra S.Francesco e il Sultano Malek-elKamel a Damietta, in Egitto. Anche in Libano la Custodia di Terra Santa ha organizzato diversi eventi, svoltisi durante l’anno 2019-2020, e dei progetti, come quest’Opera, destinati a rimanere nel tempo. A causa delle difficolta’ legate alla pandemia, solo ora quest’opera musicale ha avuto la possibilita’ di essere eseguita in presenza. A Beyrouth e’ stata eseguita nella Chiesa di S.Elia, Kantari Hosni, e a Tripoli nella Chiesa di S.Maroun. Detta Chiesa costruita dai Franescani fu gestita dai medesimi fino all’anno 1956.
S.Francesco si reco’ dal Sultano non con le armi ma con rispetto considerandolo un fratello. Per questo ottenne per lui e per i suoi frati di poter risiedere in Terra Santa, cosa che e’ continuato fino ad oggi.
Il testo e’ del Prof. Bartolomeo Pirone, gia’ docente ordinario di lingua e Letteratura araba presso la Facolta’ di Studi Arabo-Islamici e del Mediterraneo dell’Universita’ di Napoli “L’Orientale” e professore invitato presso il pontificio Istituto di Studi Arabi e d’Islamistica di Roma.
Ringrazio con affetto e riconoscenza il prof.Pirone per l’entusiasmo e la dedizione con cui ha accolto il nostro invito a comporre il testo come pure la Prof.Therese Francis per la traduzione in arabo, P .Khalil Rahme compositore dell’Opera e Direttore della Scuola di musica della Notre Dame University in libano, fra Riccardo Ceriani curatore dell’edizione del libretto. Colgo l’occasione per estendere i ringraziamenti anche a tutte quelle persone che si sono prodigate nella produzione musicale dell’opera, in primis il M.O Cosimo Prontera, consulente artistico, venuto apposta dall’Italia per accompagnare all’organo i canti e la musica. Inoltre un particolare ringraziamento va all’Ambasciata italiana e all’Istituto Italiano di Cultura che assieme all’Associazione Pro Terra Santa ne hanno reso possibile la realizzazione in Libano con aiuti sostanziali.
La musica e’ l’arte che per sua natura si presta alla comunione e al dialogo e il dialogo intereligioso e’ diventato una necessita’ imprescindibile dei nostri tempi. Lo ha ribadito anche Papa Francesco nell’Enciclica “Fratelli tutti” e nei suoi viaggi in Egitto,in Marocco, e specialmetne ad Abu Dhabi, con la pubblicazione del Documento sulla Fratellanza universale, firmato assieme all’Imam della Moschea-Univerista’ di al -Azhar (il Cairo) Sheikh Ahmad el-Tayyib.
Dopo ottocento anni il messaggio di pace di S.Francesco, lanciato al mondo dal Medio Oriente e’ un modello ancora valido e attualissimo di reciprocita’, di tolleranza, di dialogo e di fratellanza universale. Invito tutti a gustare quest’opera cogliendo il messaggio profondo datoci da San Francesco e dal Sultano d’Egitto nel loro incontro a Damietta.
P.Quirico Calella ofm.

OPERA “S.Francesco e il Sultano”
The Premier in the world of this Opera was performed in Lebanon: Beyrouth and Tripoli.
Bartolomeo Pirone : Libretto
Translated in Arabic by Teresa Francis
Khalil Rahme music, Fadi Taouk orchestration
Notre Dame University Choir and Orchestra
Khalil Rahme conductor
Bechara Moufarrej Francesco, Grace Medawar Chiara
Fernando Afara Il Sultano, Lara Jokhadar Fatima
Tony Sfair Fra Elia-Lo Sheikh

أوبرا " القديس فرنسيس والسلطان" شكلت حدثاً فنياً موسيقياً عالمياً، علت أصداؤها في أداءها الاول في لبنان: في كنيسة مار الياس القنطاري- بيروت في 6 تشرين الثاني 2021 و في اليوم التالي 7 تشرين الثاني 2021 في كنيسة مار مارون طرابلس، كما شكلت بموسيقاها حوار الانسانِ مع الخالق.
ضمّ هذا الحدث شخصيات دينية مسيحية واسلامية، دبلوماسية ووجوه ثقافية تلاقت لسماع وتذوق هذه الاوبرا التي ترجمت اللقاء التاريخي بين القديس فرنسيس و السلطان الملك الكامل في دمياط – مصر على حدّ تعبير الأب كويريكو كاليلا رئيس دير مار فرنسيس الميناء طرابلس "على مسافة ثمانمائة عام تُعتبر رسالة السلام للقديس فرنسيس التي انطلقت الى العالم من خلال مروره بالشرق الاوسط نموذجاً لا يزال سارياً ومعاصراً للتبادل، التسامح، الحوار والاخوّة العالمية".
يسلط هذا اللقاء الضوء على التلاقي والحوار بين الديانات السماوية، يتجسد الاول بعناق اخوي ولقاء قد ذكره البابا فرنسيس في رسالته الدورية "كلنا أخوة" والثاني الحوار على مثال القديس فرنسيس والملك الكامل ، ترجم أيضاً الانفتاح واحترام الآخر مثالاً للعيش في أرض واحدة، وطن واحد لبنان، الذي يتميز بتنوع الانتماءات الدينية، ما يشكل غنى لوطن "الرسالة" كما قال البابا بولس الثاني خلال زيارته الى لبنان حيث كانت في استقباله حشود كثيرة متعددة مسيحيّين ومسلمين، ما يشكل مثالاً لانفتاح الانسان على اخيه الانسان واحترام التنوّع.
هي أوبرا من أربعة أقسام تجسد الحوار الذي دار بين القديس فرنسيس والسلطان بحضور الاخ ايليا الذي كان قد رافق القديس فرنسيس في زيارته الى مصر وفاطمة ابنة السلطان، كما كيارا من خلال الحوار الذي دار بينها وبين القديس فرنسيس.
كتب نص هذه الاوبرا البروفيسور بارتولومايو بيروني، استاذ اللغة العربية وآدابها في كلية الدراسات العربية الاسلامية وللشرق الاوسط في جامعة نابولي، بلغة عالية آخذاً بعين الاعتبار أصول التأليف الشعري، العروض والايقاع الموسيقي. ترجمت النص من اللغة الايطالية الى العربية الدكتورة تيريز فرنسيس.
قام بتلحين نص الاوبرا الاب خليل رحمة مدير مدرسة الموسيقى في جامعة سيدة اللويزة في لبنان وقائد الفرقة الموسيقية التي رافقت الكورس و المغنيين / المنشدين، بمساعدة المايسترو كوزيمو برونتيرا لجهوده بالانتاج الموسيقي.
الاخ ريكاردو تشيرياني محرر الطبعة الاولى للكتيب "القديس فرنسيس والسلطان"
هذه الاوبرا نتاج عمل دؤوب و شاق للأب كويريكو كاليلا صاحب الفكرة والمشروع وقد تابعه بكل مجرياته لحوال السنتين ولكن جائحة كورونا أخرت انجازه. فيما الآن تعيد الاوبرا ذكرى اللقاء التاريخي الذي ما زال يشكل نموذجاً رائداً للحوار بين الديانات على حد تعبير الاب كاليلا.
وتستمر الاحتفالات بالمؤية الثامنة حيث يتُقام في عدة مناطق في لبنان، ايطاليا، ومنها الى العالم.
افتتح الاوبرا الاب كويريكو مرحباً بالحضور ممهداً لماهية موضوع هذه الاوبرا وشاكراً المساهمين في الكتابة والترجمة والتلحين والداعمين خاصة السفارة الايطالية، المعهد الثقافي الايطالي و مؤسسة برو تيراسانتا للمساهمة في انجاز هذا العمل الفني.
في نهاية العرض الاول شكر الاب كويريكو كاليلا الجميع ودعا الاب فراس لطفي المسؤول الإقليمي لحراسة الأرض المقدّسة في لبنان، سوريا والاردن الذي بدوره رحب بالحضور وشكر العاملين لانجاز هذه الاوبرا وإنجاحها كما قدموا درع تكريمي للاب خليل رحمة و ميدالية تكريم عربون شكر وتقدير للقائمة بالاعمال في السفارة الايطالية روبيرتا ديلاتشي، لمديرة المعهد الثقافي الايطالي في لبنان مونيكا زيكّا وللرئيس الاقليمي للرهبان الكبوشيين في لبنان الاب عبدالله نفيلي.
اما في نهاية العرض الثاني للأوبرا، فقد قدّم الاب كاليلا و الاب فراس لطفي الميداليّات التكريميّة لممثّل مفتي مدينة طرابلس الشيخ محمود نعمان، فبادرهما شاكراً مذكِّراً ان الاسلام دين محبة وتسامح مستذكراً آية من القرآن الكريم "يا أيها الناس إنا خلقناكم من ذكروانثى وجعلناكم شعوباً وقبائل لتتعارفوا إن أكرمكم عند الله أتقاكم إن الله عليم خبير"، ثم للمطران يوسف سويف راعي ابرشية مار مارون، لمديرة معهد داتي أليغياري كريستينا فوتي، الاب رايموندو عبدو الرئيس الاقليمي للرهبنة الكرملية في لبنان و درعاً تكريمي للمايسترو كوزيمو برونتيرا تقديراً لجهوده في هذا العمل المميّز.

In occation of the Human International Fraternity day at 12.00 Father Quirico Calella ofm. paid a visit to the Mufti of Tripoli H.E. Mohamad Imam and offered him the Message of the Pope Francis for the peace 2021 with a personal letter of the Nuncio H.E. Mons.Joseph Spiteri.

In occasione del giorno Internazione dell'Umana Fratellanza, dichiaratta all'unanimita' dall'Assemblea delle Nazioni Unite il 21 dicembre scorso, P.Quirico, Superiore del Convento S.Francesco a Tripoli-Marina(Mina) ha fatto una visita al nuovo Mufti di Tripoli Muhammad Iman, eletto da qualche mese. La ragione della visita e' dovuta anche alla consegna del messaggio per la pace del Papa Francesco con una lettera ufficiale e personale del Nunzio Mons.Joseph Spiteri. Inoltre il P.Quirico ha consegnato al Mufti una copia in arabo dell'Enciclica "Fratelli tutti".

A beautiful ceremony was made yesterday in our Convent of Terra Santa -Beyrouth to reopen the Convent after the restorations caused by the explosion of august the forth. Were present between the others the Nunzio Monsignor Joseph Spiteri, the German Ambassador with his wife, the Councelor and Charge' d'Affairs Roberta Di Lecce from the italian Embassy and all the Franciscans Friars working in Lebanon. After a few words of welcome by the Superior of the Convent, Father Feras Lutfi and the Italian Councelor, began a little Concert of Christmas songs performed by the Soprano Mona Hallab from Tripoli accompanied on the piano by Fadia Dumani from Mina.
After the music program spoke the German Ambassador, the Governor of Beyrouth Marwan Abboud and the Nunzio that blessed the restored rooms.
Everybody were invited to a Franciscan lunch.

Ieri al nostro Convento francescano di Beyrouth ha avuto luogo, dopo tante sofferenze, un felice evento. Dopo quattro mesi di restauri in seguito all'esplosione del 4 agosto scorso sono stati benedetti e riaperti il grande salone e le stanze dei frati della comunita'.
Erano presenti fra gli altri oltre il Nunzio Apostolico Monsignor Joseph Spiteri. l'Ambasciatore tedesco Andreas Kindl con la Signora, la Consigliera Roberta Di Lecce dell'Ambasciata itlaiana ed il governatore di Beyrouth Signor Marwan Abbouid con Signora.
Dopo un saluto di benvenuto da parte del P.Feras Lutfi Superiore del Convento e Ministro regionale, ha preso la paroloa la Consigliera Di Lecce che riferendosi al passaggio di S.Francesco nella terra dei cedri nel 1220 ed alla generosita' dei benefattori durante i secoli, ha detto:...speriamo che i Francescani rimangano in Libano per almeno altri 800 anni...". Quindi la soprano Muna Hallab di Tripoli ha dato inizio ad un piccolo programma di canti Natalizi accompagnata al pianoforte dalla Signora Fadia Dumani. Alla fine tutti insieme hanno cantato "Tu scendi dalle stelle".
Dopo i brevi interventi dell'Ambasciatore e del Governatore, il Nunzio lodando la tempestivita' dei lavori ha concluso con la benedizione dei locali restaurati.
Tutti hanno preso parte al pranzo allestito nel grande salone da una compagnia locale di catering.

Tuesday 28 January, in the frame of the the 800 years Celebrations of St. Francis visit to the Holy Land, in cooperation of the International Pipe Organ Festival promoted by NDU and the Custody of the Holy Land, another event took place in our Church. The organist Russell Weismann from Washington DC(USA, and the Soprano Mona' Hallab from Tripoli, performed a Concert based on an international program in five languages.
At the end of the Concert Father Quirico Calella awarded to Muna Hallab and Russel Weismann an image of the meeting of Saint Francis and Sultan Malek el-Kamel, made in mother of pearl.

To father Khalil Rahme was given a special Medal with the same subject prepared by the Custody of the Holy Land for the Jubilee of the 800 years.
After the Concert many guests coming from out of Tripoli and the Artists participated to a dinner in a Restaurant nearby.

In the occasion of Christmas Season at Saint Francis Convent Tripoli - Mina yesterday was made the second distribution of packages gifts but to Lebanese citizens and both Palestinian & Syrian refugees.

In occasione delle Feste Natalizie ieri e' stata effettuata la seconda distribuzione di pacchi-dono (136 in tutto). Questa volta hanno beneficiato i libanesi ed i rifugiati sia palestinesi che siriani.

How was the day formed?
General Assembly president Volkan Bozkir, introducing the resolution, said that peacekeeping is an essential part of the work of the UN. He added that the resolution would 'advance efforts to bring greater coherence to the Organization’s peacebuilding efforts and enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of its work'.
The Higher Committee for Human Fraternity, which was established on 20 August 2019, comprised members like Cardinal Ayuso Guixot, the president of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue, and Salam.
They met UN General Secretary António Guterres on 4 December 2019, at the UN headquarters, and presented him a message from the Pope and Grand Imam, that proposed 4 February be declared the World Day of Human Fraternity.

On Sunday, December 2020, a Christmas distribution of 200 packages was made in our Convent coordinated by the Philippines Embassy and the local community in the North of Lebanon. The Embassy was represented by the Legal Adviser and Attache' Marisar Ivy Cabatingan that arrived at 9.30 directly at from Beyrouth with a truck full of gifs sent by the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Tuesday, 27 October 2020: Saint Francis Convent – Tripoli-Mina, theItalian Embassy and “Istituto Italiano di Cultura” in Lebanon organized the presentation of the book “Francesco e il Sultano nell’ arte” written by Prof. Rosa Giorgi and translated into Arabic by Dr. Terese Francis.
The Italian Ambassador H.E Nicoletta Bombardiere, Italian consul Mr. Marco Di Sabatino, H.E.Mons. Edward Daher, Melkite Bishop , Cheikh Firas Ballout representative of Tripoli’s Mufti and a big number of cultural and social figures from Tripoli and Mina participated to the Event.

​​Tripoli Al-Mina: a long story of service for the local community

Bed and Breakfast, Sports Activity

Press Conference in Beyrouth about the pipe organ Festival.
In Saint Francis Convent special performance on Tuesday January 28 at 7pm. With Muna Hallab soprano and Russel J.Weismann organist.
Entrance free.

Wednesday, 28 October 2020: Saint Francis Convent – Tripoli, Italian Embassy and “Istituto Italiano di Cultura” in Lebanon organized also in Beyrouth -Gemmayzeh the presentation of the book “Francesco e il Sultano nell’ arte” written by Prof. Rosa Giorgi and translated to Arabic by Dr. Terese Francis.
The Italian Ambassador H.E Nicoletta Bombardiere, Italian Consul Mr. Marco Di Sabatino, the Nuncio Mons. Joseph Spiteri and a big number of cultural and social figures from Beyrouth participated to the Event.

In December, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution to declare 4 February as International Day of Human Fraternity.
The resolution was the outcome of Christian-Muslim cooperation to promote peace and intercultural dialogue in the world.
“The General Assembly, acting without a vote, adopted three resolutions and one decision today, including one calling for a further comprehensive review of United Nations peacebuilding in 2025 and another proclaiming 4 February as the International Day of Human Fraternity”

The New Year in Beyrouth at Qarantina JMOU

Wednesday 24 June 2020,

Saint Francis Convent was privileged to receive for the first time the new Italian Ambassador Her Exc. Dr. Nicoletta Bombardiere with the Consul Dr.Marco Di Sabatino and Madonna El-Hakim(Public Information Office&Interpreter}. At the arrival the Delegation was welcomed by Father Quirico Calella ofm Superior of the Convent and by Brother Riccardo Ceriani ofm. in charge of the Terra Santa International Pipe Organ Festival. All visited the paints exposition of the Canticle of the Creatures, painted by Marco Giubileo,an Italian painter, and the Church so the Ambassador signed the Golden Book. After she was introduced to the friends and guests of Saint Francis, between them Father Michel Haddad Superior of the Carmelites Friars, Monsignor Nabih Moawad Parish Priest of Saint Maroun and the Franciscan Sisters of Gemona that are working in the village of Minjes near the North Border of Lebanon.
Father Quirico Calella OFM after a welcoming speech to the Ambassador awarded her the official Medal of the 800 years Jubilee of the meeting "Sanit Francis and Sultan Malek El-Kamel" during the visit to the Middle East. He stressed that exactly in those months 800 years ago Saint Francis was in the Cedars Land. Father Quirico gave her also a few Magazines related to the Custody of Holy Land and the Franciscan presence in the Middle East. After a little speech of thanks the Ambassador made a toast to the Franciscans, Italy and Lebanon.
Before leaving she visited the Sports Center and was informed about the future development plans.

Terra Santa Tripoli