Maronite Archbishop writes from Damascus: 'Living under the bombs'

Archbishop Nassar

Archbishop Samir Nassar, the Maronite Archbishop of Damascus has written a short letter concerning the bombardment he has lived through in Damascus in the past days. Many are dead, many are injured and his Cathedral was also bombed.

Many thanks to Antonia Moffat for sharing this letter with ICN. She writes: "Remember that the Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady of Fatima is to travel to Damascus from Fatima on the 7th of September on a mission of peace. Let us pray the Rosary to plead for mercy before the throne of God for Iraq and Syria and all the Middle East."

Living Under the Bombs

Part of the war in Syria is to live under indiscriminate bombing, a kind of Russian roulette which is always unpredictable. This Sunday, August 23, 2015 a rain of mortars fell on the neighbourhood including two shells on the roof of the church. Since it is constructed with stone vaults it held despite the damage: cracks larger than arches, water tanks and fuel tanks ripped open, air conditioning out of service.

The nearby Latin Church and several families in the neighbourhood were also affected. Nine people were killed and 47 innocent and poor were wounded. These are people who have not able to leave the country and escape the fighting.

Of those who died, survivors say: "You won't have to see and live this cruel tragedy without end. You won't see your children, your friends and your neighbours suffer and die in the blind violence and fanatical killing unable to save them or help them without understanding why." The survivors bury the dead without having been able to treat the wounded since they lack means and competence. They sink into silent prayer before the relics of martyrs, the seeds of Faith.

Damascus August 24, 2015
+Samir NASSAR
Archeveque Maronite de Damas


VIVRE SOUS LES BOMBES

Une partie de la guerre en Syrie consiste a vivre sous les bombardements aveugles..Un genre de roulette russe

Toujours imprevisible..Ainsi ce dimanche 23 aout 2015
Une pluie de mortiers s'abattent sur le quartier ..dont deux obus sur le toit de l'Eglise construite en voutes de pierre qui a tenu malgre les degats importants : fissures plus grandes les voutes, citernes d'eau et de fuel eventres, systeme de climatisation hors service..
L'eglise voisine des latins a ete touchee aussi..plusieurs familles du quartier egalement..
9 tues et 47 blesses innocents et pauvres ..Ils n'ont pas pu quitter le pays et fuir les combats..
A ceux qui sont morts les survivants disent : vous avez de la chance de ne plus voir et vivre ce cruel drame sans fin.
Vous ne verrez plus vos enfants, vos amis et vos voisins souffrir et mourir dans la violence aveugle et lintolerance meutriere sans pouvoir les sauver ni les aider et ni comprendre pourquoi... Les survivants enterrent les morts sans pouvoir soigner les blesses Faute de moyen et de competence... Ils s'enfoncent dans la priere silencieuse devant les reliques des martryrs, semences de la Foi..
Damas le 24 aout 2015
+Samir NASSAR
Archeveque Maronite de Damas