Rebels target monasteries Ancient Christian monasteries are being regularly plundered in Syria by anti-government forces. In May of this year, rebels attacked the 1500-year-old monastery of the Prophet Elijah near the city of Al-Qusayr. They stole the sacramental vessels, destroyed the altar and the baptismal font, blew up the bell tower, and knocked down the sacred statue of Elijah. On June 23, a Syrian Catholic priest was murdered in a monastery in Gassanieh, Idlib. François Murad, 49, was a member of the Franciscans and lived a life of prayer at the monastery. Gunmen entered the monastery, plundered it, burned the building and executed Murad. Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the head of all Franciscans in the Holy Land, told the Vatican News Agency that “The world must know that the support of gunmen by the west is helping extremists in killing Syrians.”
Posted on: Tue, 03 Sep 2013 14:57:50 +0000
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