
【慈幼通訊社 ─ 2024 年12月 11 日敘利亞大馬士革訊】 ─「目前敘利亞的情況充滿不確定性,儘管一切都在快速變化,」來自西班牙的慈幼會傳教士、位於大馬士革的慈幼會修院院長Pedro García神父說。「目前我們只能耐心等待,並繼續與人民並肩作戰。從一開始,我們慈幼會會士一直開放大門,即使在戰爭最艱難的時刻。我們一直是民眾的避難據點,未來也將繼續如此運作。」他補充道。
慈幼會在阿勒頗、大馬士革和卡夫倫等城市設有非正式教育和青年中心,每天總共有 3,000 多名兒童和青年參與其中,並給他們帶來一絲希望。即使最近阿薩德政權垮台,他們也不得不暫停活動以確保未成年人的安全,但他們對於照顧和接納有需要人士的承諾並未減少。
最新的發展似乎受到了民眾的歡迎,被視為一種解放,許多人懷著喜悅走上街頭,但「全國的情況充滿不確定性,一切都在快速變化。這裡的傳統是在12月4日慶祝聖芭芭拉,會有不同的服裝派對和傳統餐飲,但今年我們決定不舉辦派對,而是在聖體前舉行守夜,祈求和平,」García神父補充說道。
「關鍵在於由不同派系組成的聯盟坐下談判的時刻。一切將取決於新政府如何組織其制衡機制,」這位慈幼會會士總結道。
中東會省省會長Simon Zakerian神父這幾天在羅馬參加新任省會長的培訓和指導課程,他也確認了目前敘利亞民眾心中的矛盾情感。「敘利亞人民一方面感到喜悅,另一方面卻流下淚水。多年來,敘利亞人習慣了被剝奪自由的生活:他們無法表達自己的想法、發聲或批評……讓我們期待積極的變化。對於許多人來說,現在的問題就是面對未來。」
敘利亞的天主教和東正教主教們已經與一些叛軍領袖舉行了幾次會議,並獲得保證基督徒「不會受到傷害,因為他們一直忠於我們的國家」。這帶來了謹慎的希望,但大家都希望等待新領導者的表態,以確保這些不僅僅是口頭承諾。
「青年可以參加慈幼會慶禮院是新境况的試金石。」中東會省省會長總結道,「在這段時間裡,我們的青年大多被限制在家中。在 WhatsApp 群組中,他們互相提醒不要外出,靜觀事態發展……所以仍然存在恐懼,但同時,也有一絲希望,希望這一變化真正能為國家帶來好處。」
A Country suspended between fear and hope
(ANS – Syria- Damascus, 11 December 2024) –”The current situation in Syria is one of great uncertainty, although everything is moving too fast,” says Fr Pedro García, a Salesian missionary from Spain, the Director of the Salesian house in Damascus. “For now we can only wait and continue to work alongside the people. From the beginning, we Salesians have kept our doors open, even in the most difficult moments of the war. We have always been a point of reference for the population and we will continue to be so at this time,” he added.
The Salesians are present in the cities of Aleppo, Damascus and Kafroun, with works for non-formal education and youth centres that, in total, involve and give a hint of hope every day to more than 3,000 children and young people. Even in recent days, after the fall of the Assad regime, they have had to suspend their activities for the safety of minors, but not their commitment to care for and welcome those in need.
The latest events seem to have been welcomed by the population as a liberation and many took to the streets with contained joy, but ‘the situation is one of uncertainty throughout the country and everything is moving too fast. Here it is the tradition to celebrate Saint Barbara (4 December) with parties in different costumes and a traditional meal, but this year we decided that, instead of a party, we would hold a vigil in front of the Blessed Sacrament to ask for peace,” Fr García continued his testimony.
“The moment of truth will be when the different factions that make up the coalition sit down to negotiate. Everything will depend on how the checks and balances of the new government are organized,’ the Salesian concludes.
The Superior of the Province of the Middle East, Fr Simon Zakerian, who is in Rome these days for the Formation and Orientation Course for recently appointed Provincials, also confirmed the set of conflicting feelings that now coexist among the population in Syria. “The Syrian people on the one hand rejoice, on the other weep. For so many years, Syrians were used to living with a blockade of freedom: they could not express themselves, speak, criticize… Let us hope for a positive change. Now the question for many is about the future”.
The Syrian bishops, both Catholic and Orthodox, have already had several meetings with some of the leaders of the rebel groups, and have been reassured that Christians “will not be touched, because they have always been faithful to our country”. This raises cautious hope, but everyone wants to wait for the nation’s new leaders to prove themselves, to be sure that they are not just declarations of intent.
“The young people who attend Salesian centres are the litmus test of the new reality. Indeed, the Provincial of MOR concludes, “During this time, our young people have mostly been confined to home. In WhatsApp groups, they write to each other not to go out, to wait and see how the situation develops… So there is still fear, but at the same time, there is also a bit of hope that this change will genuinely be for the good of the country”.