Archbishop Luigi Roberto Cona sets out for war-torn Syria, emphasizing peace, dialogue, and the enduring role of Christians as bridges in society.
Newsroom (25/03/2026 Gaudium Press ) As Syria continues to navigate a fragile path amid socio-political turmoil and regional tensions, a new Vatican envoy prepares to take up one of the Holy See’s most delicate diplomatic missions. The recently appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Syria, Archbishop Luigi Roberto Cona, expresses both humility and hope as he looks toward his arrival in Damascus this May.
Appointed by Pope Leo XIV on March 19, Archbishop Cona succeeds Cardinal Mario Zenari, who served an extraordinary 17 years in the post, witnessing the brunt of Syria’s devastating civil war. Speaking from El Salvador, where he is completing his current diplomatic assignment, Cona told Vatican News that his return to the Middle East fills him with “joy, serenity, and gratitude.”
“I am truly happy,” he said, recalling his previous service in Jordan between 2014 and 2017. “There are so many beautiful elements of Middle Eastern culture. I look forward to serving the Christian communities and offering a good service to that Church and those people.”
A Past Marked by Humanitarian Experience
During his time in Jordan, Archbishop Cona worked closely with thousands of displaced Iraqi Christians fleeing Mosul at the height of the Islamic State crisis. With the help of humanitarian organizations, foreign embassies, and the Italian Bishops’ Conference, he coordinated aid for nearly 10,000 refugees who later resettled in Western countries.
“It was deeply enriching,” he said. “These Christians had witnessed horrors up close, yet preferred to lose everything rather than abandon their faith. Seeing that kind of resilience is something that profoundly changed me.”
Christian Presence as a Source of Dialogue
The future Nuncio acknowledges that Syria’s Christian community—once among the region’s oldest and most vibrant—faces an uncertain future after years of war and emigration. Yet, he remains confident that their presence will continue to serve a vital purpose in rebuilding the country.
“Many Muslims and even Syrian leaders recognize that Christians are a richness,” Cona explained. “Not only because of their cultural heritage but also because they act as a ‘bridge community,’ fostering dialogue and contributing to the legal, economic, and social fabric of the nation.”
His hope, he said, is that Christians can continue to live “on equal footing” with their Muslim compatriots and be active participants in shaping Syria’s future—economically, culturally, and humanly.
A Mission Rooted in Dialogue
As the Vatican’s ambassador, Cona will also navigate the complex balance between faith diplomacy and political realities in a nation still struggling for stability after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government. Citing Pope Leo XIV’s repeated calls for peace, he emphasized that “the foundation of peace is dialogue among differences.”
“With war, everything is lost,” he said. “With peace, everything is possible. My role is to foster spaces for encounter—to focus not on what divides, but on what unites.”
Rebuilding Lives After Disaster
Three years after a devastating earthquake struck northern Syria and neighboring Turkey, thousands remain without permanent homes. Cona has pledged to prioritize humanitarian support, particularly reconstruction and housing initiatives. “I will make myself available to help foster more dignified living conditions for those who still suffer from the loss of their homes,” he affirmed.
A Volatile Geopolitical Landscape
The Nuncio’s upcoming posting comes amid renewed instability. Recent reports cite missile attacks on Syrian and U.S. bases and Israeli air strikes near Damascus. Cona expressed cautious optimism that leaders in the region will resist retaliation. “I hope those in power will do everything possible not to respond to provocations and instead engage in peaceful dialogue,” he said.
Despite growing fears that diplomacy may be losing its influence, the Archbishop countered that Vatican diplomacy remains quietly active. Recalling the late Cardinal Sodano’s phrase “diplomacy of absence,” Cona explained, “It’s a diplomacy that works in silence—so quietly that it may seem absent, but it is, in fact, deeply engaged.”
The Courage of Pastoral Witness
Reflecting on the enduring example of St. Óscar Romero—martyred 46 years ago while celebrating Mass in El Salvador—Cona underlined the inseparability of faith and justice. “Romero did not act for ideology,” he said. “He defended human rights because it was part of his pastoral duty, rooted in the Gospel and the Church’s Social Doctrine.”
He admires Romero’s courage at the altar, offering the Eucharist even as he faced death. “In those hosts he was offering, he entrusted his life to God’s mercy,” Cona said solemnly. “What we often lack today is precisely this courage—pastors formed in the Church’s doctrine and animated by charity, ready to serve the physical and spiritual good of all people.”
As Archbishop Luigi Roberto Cona prepares to take up his post in Damascus, his words reflect both a diplomat’s pragmatism and a pastor’s faith. In a land weary from conflict yet rich in history, his mission carries the Vatican’s quiet but steadfast conviction: that peace begins not in power, but in dialogue.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican News
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