Jihadists Destroy Armenian Cathedral of Aleppo

The Cathedral of the 40 Martyrs, Destroyed
on April 28th, 2015 

(Beirut) "Just in time" for the 100th anniversary of the genocide of the Armenians, jihadists destroyed the Armenian Cathedral of Aleppo. Ignatius Joseph III. Younan, Patriarch of the  Syrian Catholic Church of Antioch in union with Rome, speaks of a "tragedy in Aleppo", the second largest city of Syria. On April 28, the city was bombarded by Islamist militias. Here also, the Cathedral of the Forty Martyrs  of the Armenian Apostolic Church was destroyed.

The cathedral in the Christian district Jdeydeh is dedicated to the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste. It was built in 1429 in front of a smaller predecessor. In its present form, it was enlarged 1499/1500. She is one of the oldest churches in the Armenian diaspora and the old city of Aleppo.

The patriarch spoke of his visitations in twelve Syrian parishes. In all he had found a precarious situation, but above all the desire of Christians and Muslims, "that the slaughter come to an end as soon as possible".

"West Does not Want to Understand Real Problem"

The bell tower of the cathedral before destruction

In Syria there is an incumbent, internationally recognized government, "which can not be put on the same footing as the rebels," said the Patriarch to the daily newspaper Avvenire. "But the West, particularly the United States, France and Great Britain, do not want to understand the real problem: that the Sunni majority does not accept the various minorities."

The West must seriously ask themselves whether or not to put an end to this tragedy, said the Patriarch. "If we really want, then the flow of arms must stop. In addition, the borders must be controlled so that the jihadists who come even from Indonesia and Nigeria can not just to enter the country. Unfortunately, the West also gets its advantage from the war, because some thought to be able to resolve the crisis at least in part, by selling weapons to the fighters. "

Of the Islamic State, the Patriarch said: "I can not discuss the Islamic state. The problem of IS would be solved within a short time if it were not militarily  supported by some countries in the region such as Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, with the tacit approval of the West."

Turkey and Genocide: "Why the Patriarch of Antioch Can Not Reside in This City?"

Magnificent Reliefs of Armenian Religious Art Were Lost

Regarding the Turkish reactions to Pope Francis, who spoke about the genocide of the Armenians, Ignatius Joseph III .Younan said: "Last Sunday we commemorated the tragedy of our Armenian brothers with a Holy Mass who also included  both Catholics and Orthodox Syrians. The genocide took place. If the Turks do not want to acknowledge this, that's their problem. But that's the truth. We need not be afraid of their reaction. We should rather ask: Why is there, in the area of ​​present-day Turkey, where Christianity was represented historically since ancient times, only a population of 50,000 Christians out of 80 million?  Why did none of the five patriarchs of Antioch, three Catholic and two Orthodox headquarter in this city? I myself am the son of refugees. My mother and my father had to leave Turkey when I was a kid. Given certain attitudes we must firmly and decisively remain here."

EU could make great contribution to the solution of the Middle East conflict

Considering the EU the Patriarch added, "I think of the European Union in a particular way. If the EU is united, their cultural identity rediscovered and  not be determined by the United States: Where does that leave Turkey? Unfortunately, the West is often a prisoner of a certain cowardice, which is reflected in a politically correct mentality. In reality, the EU could make a major contribution to solving the Middle East problem."

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
image: ora pro Siria
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
Link to Katholisches...
AMDG