Frans van der Lugt facts for kids

Frans van der Lugt (born Franciscus Joseph Wilhelmus van der Lugt; 10 April 1938 – 7 April 2014) was a Jesuit priest from the Netherlands. He was also known as Pater Frans. He created a special community center and farm near Homs, Syria. There, he worked to help people with disabilities. He also worked to bring Christians and Muslims closer together. Sadly, he was killed in 2014 at the community center.

Life and Work

Early Life and Moving to Syria

Frans van der Lugt was born in the Netherlands in 1938. His family was involved in banking. He studied to become a psychotherapist.

In the 1960s, he moved to the Middle East. He joined the Jesuits, a religious group. He spent two years in Lebanon, where he learned to speak Arabic. In 1966, he moved to Syria. He lived there for almost 50 years.

The Al-Ard Center

In 1980, Van der Lugt started a place called the Al-Ard Center. It was a community center and farm near Homs. The farm had vineyards and gardens. Many people with disabilities worked there. This was very helpful because, in that society, people with disabilities were often not seen.

Van der Lugt believed that all people are human, no matter their religion. He wanted Christians and Muslims to get along. He thought that connecting with nature was a way to bring people together. He even led yearly eight-day trips across the mountains for teenagers of all faiths.

Helping During the Siege

Homs faced a difficult time called a siege. During this time, Van der Lugt stayed to help sick and hungry people. In early 2014, he made videos on YouTube. In these videos, he asked the world for help for the people stuck in Homs.

He refused to leave, even though it was very dangerous. He said he was "the shepherd of [his] flock." This meant he felt responsible for the people he cared for. He did not leave when the United Nations helped 1,400 people get out of the city.

Van der Lugt was known for helping everyone, whether they were Christian or Muslim. The Al-Ard Center worked to encourage talks between different religious groups. He once shared how they held a church service after a bombing. By then, most Catholics had left. So, Orthodox Christians and Muslims celebrated Palm Sunday in his church. A Muslim leader, called an imam, even gave a sermon during the service.

Death and Reactions

Frans van der Lugt was killed on 7 April 2014. He was 75 years old. He was shot around 9:30 AM. He was the second Jesuit from another country to die in that area during the Syrian civil war. Another Jesuit, Paolo Dall'Oglio, was kidnapped in 2013.

A spokesperson for the Vatican, the center of the Catholic Church, said they felt "great pain" about his death. The Dutch foreign minister, Frans Timmermans, called his murder "cowardly."

See also

In Spanish: Frans van der Lugt para niños