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indcatholicnews.com
Clare Creegan and John Pontifex, Tuesday, September 1, 2015
One
of Syria's most senior Catholic leaders has issued an impassioned plea to young
people, describing a "tsunami" of youth emigration and begging them
to stay. Referring to "an almost communal wave of youth emigration",
Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch Gregorios III said the exodus was so severe it
begged serious questions about the future of the Church in Syria.
In
an open letter to youth, the Damascus-based prelate said emigration of
Christian youth was especially severe in Syria but was also of grave concern
elsewhere in the Middle East.
He
stated: "The almost communal wave of youth emigration, especially in
Syria, but also in Lebanon and Iraq breaks my heart, wounding me deeply and
dealing me a deadly blow. Given this tsunami of emigration... what future is
left for the Church? What will become of our homeland? What will become of our
parishes and institutions?"
Recognising
the many problems of life in Syria today, the Patriarch said he wanted to
"implore" young people to remain. He stated: "... Despite all
your suffering, stay! Be patient! Don't emigrate! Stay for the Church, your
homeland, for Syria and its future! Stay! Do stay!"
Given
the state of flux in Syria, no precise figures are available concerning the
country's Christian population. But, according to conservative estimates,
450,000 of Syria's pre-2011 Christian population of 1.17 million are either
internally displaced or living as refugees abroad. The Christian population has
suffered especially badly as cities with a high concentration of faithful -
including Aleppo and Homs - have seen some of the worst fighting and upheaval.
Middle
East analysts have warned of Syria experiencing a repeat of the crisis in Iraq
where Christian numbers have haemorrhaged from 1 million to less than 300,000
over the past 10 to 15 years.
Encouraging
Syria's Christian youth to persevere in their homeland, Patriarch Gregorios
pointed to episodes from the past where the Church quickly recovered after
outbreaks of persecution. He highlighted a revolution in Syria in 1860
involving the killing of thousands of Christians and the destruction of many
churches in Damascus Old City saying: "Our forebears underwent great
difficulties, but they exercised patience and so the Church remained,
Christianity remained and the number of Christians even grew after 1860."
In
February 2015, ACN announced 22 new aid projects totalling nearly £1.7 million
to help Christians in Syria rebuild their lives, prioritising help for places
most affected by the war, including Aleppo, Homs and Damascus.
Projects
supported by ACN will benefit the thousands of families who remain in Syria,
providing food supplies, medicines, rent for housing, as well as heating and
electricity.