Persecuted Christians will once again become the protagonists of the '...Night of Witnesseswhich will take place on March 14 at 7:30 p.m. in the Almudena Cathedral in Madrid. A prayer vigil to be presided over by Cardinal José Cobo, organized by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). Fear and uncertainty have gripped Syria.
The ACN Pontifical Foundation wanted to give a voice to Christians from Nigeria y Syriain a few days in which there have been numerous episodes of violence and attacks against innocent civilians and desecration of symbols in the Syria.
The special protagonist of this evening of testimonies and prayer will be Monsignor Jean-Abdo Arbach, B.C. (Jabroud, Syria, 1952), current archbishop of the Melkite Greek-Catholic Archdiocese of Homs, Hama and Jabroud, who has just given an interview to Omnes.
"The Church of Syria and the Patriarchs of the Eastern Catholic and Orthodox Churches call in their messages for the creation of conditions to achieve national reconciliation of the Syrian people. That an environment be established for the transition to a state that respects all its citizens and lays the foundations of a society based on equality and unity of the Syrian territory, rejecting any attempt to divide it," explains the Archbishop of Homs.
Monseignor Arbach, you have a long history of service to the Church. Could you highlight any aspects that might be useful for Catholics unfamiliar with the Middle East and your country, Syria? Shall we take over?
- Syria is a country in the Middle East. It is the cradle of Christianity, with the arrival of St. Paul, although Muslim majority now. Some 5 % of the total population is Christian, Orthodox and Catholics of different rites such as Eastern and Latin. The government in Syria has been unstable for a long time, but for 50 years President Assad, with his son Bashar, have ruled with a single political party Albatsh.
The faith in this part of the world is of a primitive religiosity, a rock. The Catholics of Syria are the root of Christianity. We have Malula, a very ancient city where the language of Christ, Aramaic, is still spoken, with a very important Saint, Saint Thecla. She was a follower of St. Paul, buried in the Monastery of St. Thecla that presides over the city.
The Catholics have in Syria saints of the IV century: in Homs St. Elian and St. Romanos, there are very important churches such as the Church of the Virgin Mary of the Waist. In the city of Rable the Monastery of St. Elijah from the first centuries of Christianity. Until today people come to visit it.
You have lived through the Syrian war almost from the beginning. Your episcopal see, in the center of Homs, was taken over by jihadist terrorists. How is your country now?
- The situation is very difficult. Since December 8, with the change of government, we have many challenges. First of all, security, there is no security, there is no peace. There is a lot of fear among the Syrian people.
At the economic level it is a total disaster, where 85 % of the population lives below the poverty line, a lot of inflation, the basic necessities are very expensive and there are none (5 hours of queue to get a piece of bread).
At the international level we do not know what will happen because there is still an embargo against Syria: there is no import or export of products, no materials to work with. The future is difficult and dark.
Can you tell us for a moment about the Christian community in Syria?
- The Christian community in Syria is firm in its faith. They go to church every Sunday for prayers, follow ancient traditions, processions, venerate all iconic images. In this time of Lent all Christian religions have daily prayers such as the praises of the Virgin Mary (also Way of the Cross).
Monsignor, you have raised your voice against the religious persecution of Christians by jihadist groups. Have Christian communities gone from about two million to three hundred thousand people?
- Since the beginning of Christianity Syria has been persecuted. The first persecution was with the expansion of the Muslims. Then, the wars of the crusades. And the invasion of the Turks into Syria. At this time, during the first and second World Wars, there was a lot of emigration of Christians to Latin America and Europe. But, in 2011 with the beginning of the internal war in Syria, almost 60 % of the Christians emigrated. They emigrated because of persecution by jihadist groups, economic crisis and lack of work, compulsory military service and entry into the war, and insecurity. Now only 400,000 Christians live there.
You have also pointed out that when they started to restore, with the cooperation of Aid to the Church in Need, everything they destroyed, it gave them a lot of peace to come back. Can you comment on that?
- In 2018, with support from Aid to the Church in Need we started to restore many houses of Christians that were destroyed in Homs. Most of them returned because of their feeling of home, of belonging, because of their work and since there was security and peace, they returned. Those who did not return were because they were in difficult places to live (small towns, in the mountains). Many young people did not return.
On March 14, Christians from Syria and Nigeria will be the protagonists of a Prayer Vigil for persecuted Christians, organized by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) in the cathedral of La Almudena. Tell us about it.
- Thanks to the invitation of my brother Cardinal Joseph to pray together for the dear Christian people and all the people of Syria. This vigil helps us to unite to continue our mission. Prayer, as a saint says, is like water in the drought, like shade in the heat and like a gentle breeze in the middle of summer.
This prayer together helps us to move forward with our mission to serve the Syrian people. We want to bring the voice of the Syrian people, the challenges they have, what are the difficulties and hopes. The people of Madrid need to know this well. I bring the voice of my people to you to know this reality from the hand of Aid to the Church in Need.
Finally, perhaps he can appreciate the importance of religious freedom in the world, so often curtailed and attacked.
- Regardless of our beliefs and sensibilities, we are all children of God and we are all born in the image of God. Each religion has its own physiognomy. Christians learn from their Gospel love, in freedom to live and at the same time to keep God's commandments. "If one of the commandments is you shall not steal. If you do, you will not be able to live in freedom, your conscience will not allow it." That is why it is so important that religious freedom exists, so that we all in conscience act according to God's commandment and trust. To have faith, hope and love is what religions are based on.
As for your country, is the situation one of uncertainty or do you expect respect and tolerance?
There is fear and uncertainty among Christians in Syria. That is why the Church of Syria and the Patriarchs of the Eastern Catholic and Orthodox Churches call in their messages for the creation of conditions to achieve national reconciliation of the Syrian people, the establishment of an environment for the transition to a state that respects all its citizens and lays the foundations of a society based on equality and unity of the Syrian territory, rejecting any attempt to divide it. In addition, an end to the economic embargo in order to return to rebirth. The Church also calls for a constitution that respects all religions and minorities.
Everything I have told you is aimed at putting an end to violence against all citizens. That is why the Church strongly condemns any act that threatens civil peace and denounces the massacres committed against innocent civilians, calling for an immediate end to these horrendous acts that oppose all human and moral values.
That is why today I ask for a prayer: "God save your people, bless your inheritance, grant your Church victory over her enemies and protect the world through your Holy Cross".
