We are determined to remain in this land: Patriarch Gregory III
Damascus, 4 December 2013: "We are determined to remain in this blessed land even
at the cost of martyrdom and martyrdom of blood. This has already happened to some
of our faithful, such as the three men from Maalula. They are true martyrs killed
for refusing to renounce their faith. This is what is said in a statement sent to
Fides Agency by Gregory III Laham, the Melkite Patriarch of Antioch and all the East,
with headquarters in Damascus. The Patriarch expressed strong concern regarding the
new invasion of the Christian village of Maalula by armed Islamist groups, who terrorized
the population and took hostage 12 Orthodox nuns in the monastery of Santa Tecla.
The
Patriarch remembers with joy the recent meeting of the Melkite Church with Pope Francis:
"Together with the Holy Father, we invoked the flame of hope so that it would not
extinguish in our hearts. Helped and sustained by the Pope’s prayers, concern and
prophetic, bold and evangelical initiatives, we wish to stay in this blessed land,
cradle of Christianity".
The Patriarch asked the Pope to "help the Syrian
Christians to remain in the Middle East" and launches an appeal: "We, Christians and
Muslims, can and want to stay together, to witness the Gospel and build a new world
and a better society and future for our young people. Gregory III says that in Syria
there are 9 million displaced persons. Over 1.2 million Syrians have fled to Lebanon,
among them about 42 thousand Christians. Overall there are 450 thousand Christians
who have emigrated abroad. According to figures provided by the Patriarch, among the
Syrian Christians there are about 1,200 deaths, including civilians, soldiers, nuns
and priests. At least 60 churches have been damaged. Source: Fides