Archbishop of Syria asks justice after massacres against civilians

Homs’s Grecocatolic Archbishop, Mons. Jean Abdo Arbach, referred to the massacres against civilians in Syria last weekend – which left at least 1,000 killed – asking Christians to maintain hope that violence ends and step to unity and reconciliation.

Mons. Arbach highlighted the importance of the Christian community for the future of the country, affirming the Pontifical Foundation helps the Church in need (ACN, for its acronym in English) that “without Christians there can be no future for Syria.” Therefore, he invited the faithful to stand firm in the midst of obstacles.

“Christians are the roots of Syria and Syria is the cradle of Christianity. In Damascus the places of the 1st century are preserved where the Apostle Saint Paul became Christianity. In the town of Maalula, the tomb of Santa Tecla, the first disciple of San Pablo is preserved. There are temples and monasteries of the 1st century and the Aramaic, the language of Jesus, is still talking, ”he added.

In addition, the archbishop urged those responsible for stopping hostilities: “We don’t want more blood. We call unity and reconciliation. After 14 years of war we don’t need another conflict. ” The attacks have been attributed to militants of the Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, a coalition of Sunni Islamist insurgent groups that control power in the country of the Middle East after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad.

“It’s great pain. I ask that there is justice because killing women and children is not a good thing for Syria, ”added Mons. Arbach.

He also explained that, with the change of regime, Syria has entered into a situation “of enormous insecurity” in which work is missing and scarce food and medicines. “There are many people who wonder when this will end, they don’t see a future and want to leave,” he added.

Mons. Arbach told ACN that the situation is so desperate in Homs that he has seen many people wandering in the streets with “loneliness, fear and sadness.” The archbishop also demanded the end of the international economic embargo on Syria that greatly affects the already deteriorated situation of the country.

Despite the difficulties, the Catholic Church redoubles its efforts to address the shortcomings: “We are supporting our faithful in all the senses: with the payment of house rentals, providing medicines, food and clothing; and trying to sustain them spiritually so that they feel the closeness of God and to encourage them to continue in their land, in their country and preserve the roots of Syria that are Christians, ”said Mons. Arbach.

On Friday, March 14, the IX Witness Nighta prayer vigil organized by ACN in favor of persecuted Christians worldwide and that this year will have as special protagonists the faithful in Syria and Nigeria. The initiative will be chaired by Cardinal José Cobo, archbishop of Madrid.

Mons. Arbach will be present at the vigil, which will be free access and will also be transmitted in the ACN YouTube channel.