Aleppo (AsiaNews) – “I receive this honour not as a final milestone, but as an encouragement to continue my mission alongside those who suffer and who need our presence and our solidarity,” said Sister Arcangela Orsetti in accepting the recognition Italian Ambassador to Syria, Stefano Ravagnan, bestowed upon her yesterday, for her 56 years of service in the country.
The ceremony took place at Saint-Louis Hospital in Aleppo, where Sister Arcangela continues to dedicate herself to the sick. For the religious sister, the award offers the opportunity to remember the people she met in a life spent close to those who suffer, in a city and a country marked by years of war.
“I dedicate this honour to the sick and to all the poor people whom I have had the grace to accompany,” she said. “My thoughts go out to them, with a commitment to continue my mission, with trust and for as long as the Lord wills, striving to sow courage and hope.”
Sister Arcangela also expressed her gratitude to Italy, to the benefactors, and to the various organisations that have supported her work, especially during the war.
“Thanks to their generosity and financial assistance, we have been able to endure, to alleviate suffering, and to continue doing good amid trials.”
Founded in 1905 and managed by the Sisters of St Joseph of the Apparition, Saint-Louis is one of Syria’s historic Catholic hospitals, always serving the people of Aleppo rather than any single religious group.
It continued to operate during the years of the civil war, despite the economic hardships that afflicted Syria’s healthcare system as a result of the conflict and international sanctions.
Sister Arcangela’s congregation was founded by Saint Émilie de Vialar in Gaillac, France, in 1832.
Its presence in Syria dates back to 1856, when the Sisters arrived from France at the invitation of the Franciscans to focus on the education of young women.
At the start of the civil war in 2011, Sister Arcangela began collecting shell casings and mortar fragments that had fallen in the hospital’s garden and on its terrace, repurposing them into decorations, rosaries, and symbols of peace.
Her colleagues also began bringing her fragments they found on their commutes to work.
Some of these items were fashioned into candle holders, a practical response to a time when the hospital frequently grappled with prolonged power outages.
During the same period, Saint-Louis Hospital strove to provide care even to those who could not afford the costs.
Beyond the bombings, the hospital had to face mounting economic difficulties, which also took a toll on the medical staff, making it increasingly challenging to support those in need of treatment.
In recent years, the medical facility worked with other Catholic institutions to ensure that its services remain accessible to the poorest members of the community.
In 2017, the Open Hospitals project, launched at the initiative of the Apostolic Nuncio to Syria, Cardinal Mario Zenari with the support of various donors and the AVSI Foundation, started to support three Catholic hospitals in the country, including Saint-Louis Hospital, enabling them to provide free care to the neediest patients.
In her address during the ceremony, the nun expressed her gratitude to God.
“I accept this recognition with humility, aware that it belongs first and foremost to the Author of Life,” she said. “It is He who has granted me the health and strength throughout this journey of service to the people of Aleppo, to whom I am deeply attached.”
Looking towards the country’s future, the nun added: “May God bless Italy and Syria, which has become my second homeland, as well as all those who work alongside us and all people of good will who, through their generosity, help foster peace, fraternity, and hope.”
