The National Fraternity of Secular Franciscans of Lebanon finally received its fraternal and pastoral visitation, which had been postponed three times since the last visit in 2013 due to political unrest in the country.
On Sunday, the 25th January, 2026, the Minister General of the OFS, Tibor Kauser, and Br. Pedro Zitha, OFM, representative of the Conference of General Spiritual Assistants, arrived in Beirut, where they were welcomed by the National Minister, Gina Chedid, OFS, and the former Councilor of the Presidency, Michel Janian, OFS, who hosted the visitors in his home and accompanied them to participate in the meetings. Upon arrival, visitors met Sr Marie Makhlouf, Mother Superior of the Sisters of the Cross (Franciscans founded by Blessed Br. James, a Capuchin friar). The following day, they met with several local fraternities of St. Joseph in Batroun, St. Aquilina in Jbeil, St. Elicha in Amchit, St. Rita in Erdeh and YouFra in Batroun.
The visit continued the next day with the meeting with the Fraternities of Beirut: St. Georges dekweneh, St. Nohrafurn el Chebbek, Our Lady of Salvation Ain el Rimmeneh, Our Lady Sin el Fil, St. Doumit Nabaa, St. Maroundaoura, St. Joseph Hadith, Our Lady of the Badarë Angels, St. Gemmayze, St. Simonsabtieh. Later, they went to another distant region where there is only one St. Francis fraternity in Zahle. Then they met with the fraternities of St. Francis Ghazir, Our Lady of the Rosary in Ehmez, Jesus the King in Zoukmosbeh, Our Lady of the Rosary in Hrajel, Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Zouk Mikael, St. Antonios in Hariss, St. Challita in Faraya and St. Anthony of Padua.
The following day, the visitors met with the fraternities of St. Joseph Mtayleb, St. Michael Beit el Chaar, the Ascension in Dbayeh, Father Piojal el Dib, Ste Taklajal el dib, St. Peter and Paul Cornet Chehwen, and YouFra from three fraternities of Baadbat, Padre Pio and Valpere Jacques.
During the pastoral visit, the visitors met with the spiritual assistants, Fr. Josif Florin Petrila, OFMConv.; Father Antoine Freiha, OFMCap; Br. Najib Ibrahim, OFM. Afterwards, we met with His Excellency the Rev.mo Father Cesar Esseyan, OFMConv., Bishop of the Latin Rite, and then with the Maronite Patriarch, His Eminence, Cardinal Bechara El RAII at the episcopal residence of Bkerke.
It was a long week of intensive visits and listening to each OFS and YouFra fraternity about their lives and missions within their fraternity, in the parish, and in society at large.
Christians in Lebanon are a minority, yet Lebanese OFS fraternities are found in almost every corner of Lebanon, even in places where the First Order does not exist. All the fraternities are very active and are present in the parishes of all the Christian rites existing in Lebanon.
The pastoral and fraternal visit ended with the election of the new National Council: Gina Chedid and some councillors were re-elected, while three new councillors were elected for the first time.
