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Asharq Al-Awsat Tours Homs, the ‘Capital’ of Syria’s Revolution, to Witness its Revival

People are seen in the historic market in Homs. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
People are seen in the historic market in Homs. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Asharq Al-Awsat Tours Homs, the ‘Capital’ of Syria’s Revolution, to Witness its Revival

People are seen in the historic market in Homs. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
People are seen in the historic market in Homs. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

In the heart of Homs, Syria’s third-largest city, the new Clock Square, nestled between the governorate building, the Teachers' Syndicate, and the Atassi Tower, reflects a slow yet noticeable return to life. The bustling markets, the flow of pedestrians and the modern vehicles all paint a picture of gradual recovery in the region.

However, just a few meters away, stark contrasts and remnants of war are visible in the neighborhoods of Khalidiya, Jouret al-Shiah, Baba Amr, Deir Ballaba and Al-Bayyadah.

Some of these areas were once the epicenter of peaceful protests, filled with music and dance, before the ousted regime’s security crackdown turned into all-out war.

In areas like Al-Wa’ar, from which the last batch of fighters withdrew, the price paid by the opposition to topple ousted President Bashar al-Assad is still etched in the city’s landscape.

At the crossroads of Al-Hamidiyah, Homs’ historic markets, the sounds of street vendors, the hustle of pedestrians and the blaring horns of cars and motorcycles fill the air amid heavy traffic. Trucks and vehicles are seen moving in and out of the gates of Old Homs, signaling the city’s recovery and return to the spotlight after years of war.

Eyad Abdullah, originally from Baba Amr, has just returned from 13 years of exile in Türkiye.

Members of the military operations command are seen at the new Clock Square in Homs. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Strolling with his wife and children near the Clock Square, he spoke with joy to Asharq Al-Awsat: “I have three children - two sons and a daughter, who is 12 years old. They were all born outside Syria in refugee camps. Today, we are walking near the Clock Square, and we’re about to visit the old market.”

“It was all a dream, and now it’s come true,” Abdullah explained.

Sectarian tensions

Eng. Mihyar Khaddour, another individual Asharq Al-Awsat stopped to speak with, shared his concerns about the sectarian tensions left by the Baath regime.

Homs, a major hub of the revolution against Assad, was one of the cities where the regime used overwhelming force to silence opposition voices.

Khaddour emphasized: “If Homs remains trapped in sectarian divisions, we will not know peace. But if its people manage to restore it to its former state as a symbol of coexistence and diversity, it will be the greatest victory the people could achieve.”

Damaged buildings are seen in the Khalidiya neighborhood in Homs. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Over 60% destroyed

Homs is one of the most devastated cities due to the shelling by forces loyal to Assad. In neighborhoods like Khalidiya, Deir Ballaba, Al-Bayyadah and Jouret al-Shiah, the destruction has surpassed 60%.

The city ranks third in terms of damage from military operations, following Aleppo and Eastern Ghouta near Damascus respectively.

The devastation is evident in the heavily damaged buildings, many of which have not seen their residents return, with only a few returning more than two months after the fall of the regime.

The return of stability to Homs has opened a new chapter for local shop owners and artisans, allowing them to resume businesses passed down through generations.

Abdel Bastet Al-Frawati, who owns a shop in the historic Arab fur market, shared that many business owners and tradespeople returned after the fall of the regime.

“We went through difficult days and months, with little work and challenges in purchasing leather from abroad or shipping it from Damascus,” he said.

“But today, the markets are once again connected, and traders can buy and sell across Syria and neighboring areas,” he explained.

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From 'Conclave' to 'White Smoke,' a Glossary of Terms Used in a Papal Transition

Birds fly as sunlight hits St. Peter's Basilica, following the death of Pope Francis, Vatican City, April 22, 2025. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach
Birds fly as sunlight hits St. Peter's Basilica, following the death of Pope Francis, Vatican City, April 22, 2025. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach
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From 'Conclave' to 'White Smoke,' a Glossary of Terms Used in a Papal Transition

Birds fly as sunlight hits St. Peter's Basilica, following the death of Pope Francis, Vatican City, April 22, 2025. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach
Birds fly as sunlight hits St. Peter's Basilica, following the death of Pope Francis, Vatican City, April 22, 2025. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

A change in popes - through death or resignation - is a complicated process, with centuries-old rituals involving the transition in leadership for both the spiritual head of the global Catholic Church and the Vatican´s head of state.

These are the need-to-know terms - some of them in Latin - to help make sense of news in the coming days:

This is the "chamberlain" - the cardinal in charge of formally verifying the pope´s death - and then sealing his room and study. Between then and the election of the new pope, the camerlengo administers the "goods and temporal rights" of the Holy See. The current one is the Irish-born American Cardinal Kevin Farrell.

There are 252 cardinals worldwide, and as a body, they are in charge of the Holy See´s affairs in-between popes, albeit with limits. Of them, 135 are "cardinal electors," who gather in the Vatican to choose the new pope. For centuries, they have chosen one of their own. The vast majority of the electors - 108 - were made cardinals by Pope Francis, according to Vatican statistics.

This is the closed-door meeting of the cardinal electors to choose the new pope in the Sistine Chapel. Its name, literally "with a key," was used in the 13th century to describe the process of locking up the cardinals until the election is completed. It must begin no more than 20 days after the death or resignation of a pope. The electors are sequestered from all outsiders for the duration; the last three popes were chosen within days.

The current dean is Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re. He is the head of the College of Cardinals who informs the rest of the cardinals and the ambassadors to the Holy See of the pope´s death once he learns of it from the camerlengo. He convenes the conclave and presides as the electors take their oaths. Once a new pope is chosen, the dean asks him if he accepts and what name he wants to be called.

This Vatican guesthouse, built in 1996, specifically houses cardinals during a conclave and is used at other times as a hotel for visiting priests and Vatican officials. Pope Francis never moved out after he was elected pope, choosing to live in suite 201, rather than the papal apartments in the Apostolic Palace.

A Latin phrase for "all out," it's spoken by the master for papal liturgical celebrations, currently Italian Archbishop Diego Ravelli, to ask all those present except the cardinal electors to leave the Sistine Chapel to begin the voting process during the conclave.

Each pope gets this ring at the Mass marking the beginning of his pontificate. It bears this name because Jesus told St. Peter, the first pope, that he would be "a fisher of men." Until the 1990s, it was destroyed upon a pope´s death. Now, it´s "annulled," or marked in such a way that it can´t be used as a seal.

This is the name given to the gathering of all members of the College of Cardinals after the pope´s death and before the start of the conclave to discuss major church affairs. All cardinals who aren't infirm take part in this meeting in the Vatican´s Apostolic Palace. They also discuss preparations for the conclave, under oath and in secret.

This Latin phrase translates to "We have a pope." These are the words used by the "protodeacon" of the College of Cardinals to announce from the loggia of St. Peter´s Basilica that a new pope has been elected. He then says the new pope's birth name and the name he has chosen to use as pope, also in Latin. The current protodeacon is French Cardinal Dominique Mamberti.

These are the three cardinals, chosen by a random drawing from the electors, who are charged with gathering the ballots of any electors who are ill during the conclave.

This is Latin for "having had mercy and choosing him" - a phrase that Francis chose as his motto when he was elevated to bishop and kept as his papal seal. It was drawn from the homilies of St. Bede the Venerable, an 8th century monk. It comes from the Gospel narrative of St. Matthew, a tax collector whom Jesus called to follow him.

These are the three cardinals, chosen by random drawing from the electors, who are charged with reviewing the ballots during the conclave.

This is the document, or "deed," listing key details of the pope´s life and papacy that is placed in his coffin. It´s written in Latin by the master for papal liturgical celebrations. A copy is kept in the Vatican archives.

These are the three cardinals, chosen by random drawing from the electors, who are charged with reviewing each ballot and announcing it to the assembled conclave after each round of voting. They then tally the votes - to win the election, two-thirds of the votes are necessary - and they also burn the ballots.

This is Latin for "vacant seat," the period between the pope´s death or resignation and the election of a new one.

This is the basilica in Rome where Pope Francis said he wants to be buried. Francis is breaking with the tradition of his predecessors who are buried inside the Vatican, saying he wanted to be near his favorite icon of the Virgin Mary, the Salus Populi Romani, a Byzantine-style painting of the Madonna draped in a blue robe, holding the infant Jesus who in turn is holding a jeweled golden book. The icon is located in the church first built in the 5th century and devoted to the Virgin Mary. In his will, Francis said he wanted a simple underground tomb with only "Franciscus" written on it.

This Latin phrase means "the Lord´s whole flock." It´s the Vatican constitution that regulates the processes from a pope´s death until a new one is elected. St. John Paul II issued it in 1996 during his papacy, and Pope Benedict XVI twice amended it, most significantly by removing John Paul's provision that after about 12 days of balloting a simple majority could elect a new pope rather than a two-thirds majority. If the conclave lasts that long, the top two vote-getters go to a runoff, with a two-thirds majority required to win. Neither of the top two candidates casts a ballot in the runoff.

After each round of voting in the Sistine Chapel, the ballots are burned in a special furnace to indicate the outcome to the outside world. If no pope is chosen, the ballots are mixed with cartridges containing potassium perchlorate, anthracene (a component of coal tar), and sulfur to produce black smoke. But if there is a winner, the burning ballots are mixed with potassium chlorate, lactose and chloroform resin to produce the white smoke. Bells also are rung to further signal there is a new pope.