Christian radio, the Virgin and the bomb

February 13th is the day we celebrate the very first “World Radio Day” proclaimed by UNESCO.
In its proclamation, UNESCO calls the day a means "to draw attention to the unique value of radio, which remains the medium to reach the widest audience.”
On this occasion, Vatican Radio remembers Lebanon’s Voice of Charity Radio which, in the words of its Director, Fr. Fady Tabet, “miraculously” survived a number of bombings and has lived on to tell its tale, providing true Christian witness in a region in upheaval.

Run by the Catholic Maronite order, the Voice of Charity Radio north of Beirut was bombed in May 2005 – a particularly violent period following the February assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and a spate of bombings in Christian neighbourhoods. Huge protests eventually led to Syria’s troop withdrawal from Lebanon that same year.

In Lebanon, many believed Syria or pro-Syrian political figures were behind the attack on the Voice of Charity. The radio had just run a marathon program expressing solidarity with families of prisoners in Syrian jails, demanding freedom and information about those who had disappeared.

The next day, a powerful bomb exploded between the Voice of Charity radio station and the Mar Yuhanna in . The radio station was destroyed and the church suffered major damage. Twenty-two people were wounded

Speaking to Vatican Radio’s Tracey McClure, Fr. Fady Tabet remembers that May 6, 2005 in which his life and those of 27 others were spared, he says, with Our Lady’s help.

“This day for us was a miracle – it was a miracle” Fr. Fady reflects. He says he cannot explain why he and 27 other staff members decided to leave the station just six minutes after they had re-entered it upon having celebrated mass next door. It was a decision that saved their lives.

“That’s why I’m telling you it’s a miracle,” he exclaims and notes that the radio has set up “a statue of the Virgin Mary with the bomb” by way of thanks.

“She took the bomb… and helped us to have a new life and to start again because we have a lot of work to do.”

Previous to the bombing in 2005, the Voice of Charity considered its birthday to fall on the day which the Church celebrates Pentacost.

“But we decided because we had a new life after this bomb, we decided to celebrate the birthday of the radio on that day – so every 6^th of May.”

Fr. Fady says the Voice of Charity continues its advocacy work on behalf of Lebanese prisoners in Syrian jails, and produces special memorial programs remembering them every May 6^th.

But the Voice of Charity alone, he stresses, is not enough and action must be taken on a political level to address the circumstances of these prisoners.

“We need a strong voice to talk about it… but the situation in Syria now is very dangerous and that’s why no one is talking about the prisoners in (Syrian) jails.”

Listen to Tracey McClure's interview with Fr. Fady Tabet: