ACN had a meeting with the Cardinal, who assured the Pope’s direct aid to Syria.
ACN – Cardinal Mario Zenari, Apostolic Nuncio to Syria, met with Xavier Bisits, head of projects of Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) in Syria, to whom he expressed his shock at the terrible situation after the earthquake. «After visiting Aleppo, Lattakia and Jableh, my impression can be summarized as follows: I have seen a sea of pain,» the cardinal assured.
Zenari, Bisits and other ACN project partners spoke with earthquake victims and with volunteers coordinating aid in the city of Lattakia, one of the cities most affected along with Aleppo by the catastrophe. The cardinal has pledged support and prayers from the Catholic Church, assuring that Pope Francis himself has sent financial aid for relief efforts in Syria.
The Vatican diplomatic representative also visited a local mosque where up to 2,000 people gathered in the first nights after the earthquake, and which continues to house between 400 and 600 residents of Lattakia. In this town, the small Christian community has lost eight members to the earthquake. Hundreds of Christians have been left homeless and have had to seek shelter in parishes and convents. ACN is providing them with material support, through the Franciscans present in this locality and who are at the center of the relief work.
During his visit to the Franciscan religious, Xavier Bisits met with several local people who are still shocked by what happened. «Many people are desperate. One woman, who had been displaced from Aleppo during the war, told me that she doesn’t want money, what she wants is to start her life again in another country. A 15-year-old boy told me he had only one wish: to go back to living like before the war. After 12 years of war, Covid, sanctions and the collapse of the currency, this latest disaster is more than many people can bear,» explains the head of ACN in Syria.
Several buildings collapsed in Lattakia, including one in the north of the city that killed a family of Christians who had fled Aleppo due to the civil war. «The worst damage, however, appears to have occurred in the neighboring town of Jableh, where between 20 and 30 buildings were reduced to rubble, including instances of several buildings collapsing in a row,» he adds.
Unlike in Turkey, where numerous material and human resources have arrived to deal with the catastrophe, the international emergency is barely noticeable in Syria. «There is almost no sign of an international response: the only international volunteers I have personally seen in Syria are from Lebanon,» says Bisits.
ACN has already approved a number of projects to help the Church in Syria respond to this crisis. The initial aid amount of 500,000 euros will go towards emergency projects, but the main concern is to get the houses inspected by engineers, so that people can return to their homes soon and be in a safe place. ACN is working with a committee of church representatives from both Aleppo and Lattakia to develop a coordinated response to the current situation.