Mar Moussa

In 1982 Paolo Dall’Oglio, an italian Jesuit, decides to bring back to life the 6th century monastery of Mar Moussa in the Syrian desert in order to found a community dedicated to friendship between Christians and Muslims. Over time Mar Moussa becomes a touristic hotspot and a symbol of peace in a region devastated by religious tensions. In 2011, the civil war breaks out in Syria. In 2013, Paolo disappears at the headquarters of ISIS in Raqqa, leaving his small community at a loss. In 2023, for Easter, I travel to Mar Moussa to see what is left of Paolo’s utopia.