On April 13-17, 2026, the friars of the Provincial Custody of the Orient and the Holy Land, belonging to the Province of St. Joseph, Spouse of the B.V.M. in Romania, celebrated the first part of their Ordinary Custodial Chapter. The event took place at the St. Anthony Community on the island of Büyükada, off the coast of Istanbul, Turkey. The facility is run by the Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart.
The Chapter was presided over by the Minister General, Friar Carlos TROVARELLI, and was attended by the friars of the Custody. Others present included the Minister Provincial of the Mother Province, Friar Damian-Gheorghe PĂTRAȘCU, and the Assistant General for the Federazione Inter-mediterranea Ministri Provinciali (FIMP), Friar Colin SAMMUT.
The Chapter began with a spiritual introduction led by Friar Damian on the theme: “The 800th Anniversary of the Death of St. Francis.” He guided the friars in a meditation on how St. Francis experienced his passage into death, shedding light on the personal journey of each friar, who is called to prepare inwardly for the encounter with Sister Bodily Death. He talked about the importance of recognizing and letting go of those attachments—whether small or large—that throughout life can hinder the authentic freedom of the Franciscan vocation.
In the days that followed, with input and guidance from the Minister General, the friars examined the life of the Custody, the activities it has carried out, and the responsibilities it has assumed over the past four years. Frank and fraternal small group discussions helped foster a shared understanding of the journey taken, the most pressing issues, and the challenges to be faced in the near future.
One important moment during the Chapter took place on Thursday, April 16, with the discernment and election of Friar Andrew Jeylan HOCHSTEDLER as the new Provincial Custos. The next day, the Capitulars elected the members of the Custodial Definitory.
The Custodial Definitory is comprised as follows: Provincial Custos: Friar Andrew Jeylan HOCHSTEDLER; Custodial Vicar: Friar Iosif-Florin PETRILĂ; Custodial Secretary: Friar Alessandro RATTI; Custodial Definitor: Friar Roger KOUYOUMDJI; Custodial Definitor and Exactor: Friar Iulian PIȘTA; and Custodial Econom: Friar Petru VÂRGĂ.
Friar Andrew Jeylan HOCHSTEDLER was born on July 20, 1983, in Istanbul, Turkey. After university studies in Political Science and German at the University of Notre Dame in the United States, and a stint as a journalist in the Middle East, he entered the Order in 2008, in Istanbul. He completed his postulancy program in Brescia, Italy, and his novitiate in Assisi. He professed his simple vows on September 4, 2010, his solemn vows on September 13, 2014, and was ordained to the diaconate on December 4, 2016, in Beirut. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 17, 2017, in Istanbul. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Theological Faculty of St. Bonaventure in Rome, a Master’s degree in Early Christian Studies from the University of Notre Dame and a Master’s degree and Doctorate in Syriac Studies from Oxford University in England.
A member of the Provincial Custody of the Orient and the Holy Land, Friar Andrew has carried out ministry in various international settings including Italy, Turkey, Lebanon, and the United States, thus expressing the missionary dimension of the Conventual Franciscan charism. From 2019 to 2024, he served in the Provincial Custody of Bl. Agnellus of Pisa in Great Britain-Ireland. Since May 2024, he has been a member of the St. Anthony of Padua Friary in Istanbul, where he serves English and Turkish-speaking communities as an Associate Pastor.
The friars express their deep gratitude to the Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart for their warm and thoughtful hospitality, which helped the friars conduct the Chapter in an atmosphere of prayer and communion.
The second part of the Custodial Chapter is scheduled for June 15-19, 2026, at the same location, where the friars will continue their journey of discernment as they plan the life and mission of the Custody.
Friar Marian-Emanuel VĂTĂMĂNELU
Chapter Secretary
