1st of April 2026
There are moments in life when words feel inadequate in the face of a family’s pain. This is one of those moments.
The Order of Saint George the Great Martyr has undertaken a humanitarian mission of profound importance: to support the family of Qais Saleh—a 14-year-old Palestinian boy of the Greek Orthodox Church whose life, and the lives of those who love him, have been suddenly and painfully disrupted.
Thirty-five days ago, Qais was taken from his home in the quiet village of Aboud, near Ramallah in the West Bank, by Israeli security forces. Since that day, his family has lived in a state of unrelenting anguish. No clear reason has been given for his detention, and no formal charges have been brought against him—only silence, uncertainty, and the unbearable weight of not knowing.
A mother now wakes each morning without her child. She goes to sleep each night without hearing his voice. As Great and Holy Pascha approaches—the feast of light, hope, and the Resurrection—her heart carries a sorrow no parent should ever know: the possibility that her son may not return home.
Qais is not just a name. He is a child of the Church—a ninth-grade student, a young boy who serves, prays, and belongs to a living community of faith. He is known, he is loved, and he is deeply missed.
Yet even in this suffering, the family has been denied the most basic human comfort: they have not been allowed to speak with him. No phone calls. No reassurance that he is safe or well. Days pass, then weeks. Court dates are set, only to be postponed again and again. Each delay prolongs the pain, deepens the uncertainty, and widens the wound.
Now, the family faces another burden they cannot carry alone—the urgent need for legal representation in Jerusalem. The cost of securing proper counsel, pursuing bail, and navigating the legal process is overwhelming.
And so, we at the Order of Saint George the Great Martyr come to you with hearts filled with Christ’s love and compassion—not only in words, but with a sincere plea: help us support Qais’s legal defense and his safe return home to the love and protection of his family.
As the voice for those who have no voice, we must stand beside this family in their hour of great need.
This mission of mercy cannot be accomplished by a few alone. We humbly ask, first and foremost, for your prayers—sincere and heartfelt prayers—for Qais, for his mother, and for his entire family.
As we pray together in unity, may we seek God’s divine protection over Qais. May he be strengthened, and may God’s divine providence intercede on his behalf, bringing him home safely to the embrace of his mother, his family, and the Greek Orthodox community in Aboud, Palestine.
If you are able, we ask that you also consider making a financial contribution. All of your support will cover the costs of legal representation, bail, and essential assistance for the family during this time of crisis.
Know that no gift is too small. Your generosity—whether through prayer or financial support—makes a meaningful and tangible difference.
To support Qais, please click the yellow “Donate” button on our website. In your memo, kindly write “Qais” so that your gift may go directly toward helping bring him home.
Every act of compassion matters. Every prayer carries weight. Every gift reflects the love of Christ.
Let us not allow this boy or his family to suffer in silence. Let us be the voice for Qais in this season of the Resurrection. And may we remember that even in the darkest moments, the light is never extinguished.
May the light of Christ’s Resurrection illuminate Qais’s path safely home.
~Konstantine Pandolfi E.M.
The Order remains steadfast in its unwavering commitment to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchates of Jerusalem, Antioch, and Alexandria, and to all Christians who live, breathe, and faithfully bear witness across the Holy Land, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Egypt, and the wider Middle East.
