The Christian denominations of Aleppo praying for peace in their city
Aleppo – North-Press Agency
Firas al-Ahmad
A collective prayer in the Church of Virgin Mary of the Orthodox Armenians, in Aleppo ended Yesterday, in which believers prayed for peace for their city, which recently witnessed violent attacks against the populated neighborhoods. Every year, a prayer is held for the unity of the Christians in their 11 denominations, starting from 18 to 25 January.
This year witnessed something completely different from the rest of the years, as the 11 Christian denominations gathered under the dome of Virgin Mary Church for the Orthodox Armenians, in order to perform a collective prayer in which peace is hoped for the city of Aleppo, due to the recent attacks it witnessed against its populated neighborhoods.
Hundreds of people from various Christian denominations and many clerics in Aleppo attended the prayer, as it began with an invitation to the Syrian people who are still standing up to "terrorism.”
Pastor Ibrahim Naseer, stressed during the prayer that "this suffocating crisis in the region is characterized by changes in politics in order to disperse religious thoughts and put racism at the forefront to the people in order to break their steadfastness," he said indicating that they will not be able to separate between religions.
In turn, Archimandrite, Mons al-Haqi, the Greek Orthodox Archbishop, said: "This prayer is important, especially in these difficult days in Aleppo, embodied in the indiscriminate shelling of civilians and religious places."
He noted that these attacks are "great indication that (the terrorists) are unable to sow racism among the Syrian people, who have stood up to the Ottoman plans."
While Antoine Udo, the Chaldean Archbishop, explained that their prayers today were completely different, because it gathered 11 sects under one dome in order to seek mercy from God for the people, and the support of the truth and to make Syria as it was in the past, a united people with no racism.
The words of the Armenian Orthodox Archbishop, Masis Zenoboyan, came in support of the words of the Chaldean Archbishop, as he affirmed that the prayers make them stronger than last year, because all of the Christian denomination are present together, as to show the world that their decisions will not apart them.