Why attack places of worship, and especially churches?

The Syrian crisis is severely affecting various sectors of civilian life and the number of victims of this “world” war is growing day by day. In this war against Syria the nature of the so-called opposition no longer resembles what it appeared to be on 16 March 2011 at the outset of the crisis.

Evidence of that can be found in the statements of envoy Lakhdar Brahimi and Mr Kofi Anan published in several European newspapers in September 2013, that there are some two thousand foreign groups fighting in Syria. They are all Salafist fundamentalists and extremists, relentlessly killing in cruel fashion in the name of Islam, although Islam has nothing to do with them or they with it.

These groups have committed the most cruel crimes and bestial acts that have horrified the minds of those who saw them on television or on modern social communication media and hurt the feelings of every man, woman and child both at home and abroad. It represents a return to the darkest episodes of antiquity and has even outstripped them.…

Those hordes have destroyed and laid waste places of worship (mosques and churches), and looted statues, furnishings, icons of Our Lord, the Virgin Mary and the saints.

Never before in its history has Syria experienced any such monstrous, criminal acts. All Christian and Muslim citizens used to live in harmony, affection, solidarity, mutual help, national community … such that it was considered an Arab and world model.

We wonder at these deeds and address the doers, reminding them of their humanity and the fact that they are created in the image and likeness of God, they are precious in God’s eyes and we acknowledge their worth, which is common to us all… We wonder and ask them, why do you commit these actions? Why destroy mosques and churches? They know very well that our churches are schools of peace and our institutions fields of service and dedication and that we have no political party, no hatred in our hearts, no vengeance against anyone whatsoever. On the contrary, we are agents of peace calling for love, living together, solidarity, reconciliation and forgiveness…

In writing this appeal, it is not at all my intention to condemn or judge those who destroy our churches: God alone is Judge. Instead we forgive them and pray for them and their salvation, imploring God to open their eyes to the beauty of faith, love, friendship, and tenderness that fills the pages of the Qur’an in every verse – the compassion of God for all. We advise and request them to return to their own countries and there live a humane, worthy life in their families and among their own people.

We write these lines and report the facts about the destruction of mosques and especially churches, and the inhumane acts, so that the world can wake up and open its eyes to the realisation of the true brutal reality of these things reported, and work to stop them and halt all kinds of killing and violence, for the victim of all this is man, created in the image and likeness of God.

We call upon everyone to coordinate their efforts and those of Arab and other countries to prevent such cruelties against the dignity of man, because they are war crimes against humanity. It is not always the perpetrator who is responsible, but the one who does not work to prevent and condemn them, but rather encourages, incites and funds them with money and weapons and fills hearts with hatred and enmity…

We decided to give the information contained in this appeal to highlight the brutality of these acts. We hope for the world’s conscience to be aroused to the realisation of this state of affairs and for everyone to agree to walk along the path of peace to Geneva II to build a new world where love and the values of our holy faith reign, as this should be the road for all of us Christian and Muslim politicians and leaders, and Eastern and Western heads of state. That is how we can respond to Pope Francis’s appeal, “No more war.” That is why we are publishing these gloomy, black lists in the Appendix (attached).

We extend this appeal with an open evangelical Christian spirit of love to the conscience of those who have committed and continue to commit these actions and attacks, especially against Christian places of worship. We appeal to the conscience of those who stand behind them and even to the conscience of the whole world.

We hope and pray for the cessation of these actions that are destroying not just places of worship, but the image of God in man and are causing all kinds of suffering, disaster, grief and destruction.

I ask my dear faithful not to allow forgiveness to give way to hatred in your hearts. Resist feelings of fear, anxiety, frustration and discouragement despite the various reasons for them of which we are all aware. Face up to this with patience and faith. Do not leave; do not abandon your homeland Syria, which has been rightly called the cradle of Christianity! We have our origins and roots here, going back over two thousand years of history.

I hope that anyone reading this letter may accept it in a positive, civilised way.

We pray, Christ our God, confirm the holy Orthodox faith in our churches and monasteries unto ages of ages! Lord, save thy people and bless thine inheritance. Grant peace to Syria and to the world. And keep thy faithful!

Commemorating our most holy, most pure, most blessed and glorious Lady, Mother of God and ever-Virgin Mary, let us invoke her intercession and protection, and let us entrust one another and all our lives unto Christ our God! Deliver us, O Virgin, from every temptation, barbarian invasion and peril that we deserve due to our sins.

With my love and blessing
+Gregorios III
Patriarch

Appendix: A list of churches and monasteries and shrines damaged in the Syrian crisis 21-12-13

Number Church or shrine Denomination Governorate / Region Place
1 Patriarchate and Cathedral of the Dormition Melkite Greek Catholic Damascus and district Bab Sharqi
2 Church and Monastery of the Franciscan Fathers Roman Catholic (Latin) Damascus and district Bab Touma
3 St Paul’s Cathedral Syriac Catholic Damascus and district Bab Sharqi
4 Cathedral of the Queen of the World Armenian Catholic Damascus and district Bab Touma
5 St Cyril’s Church Melkite Greek Catholic Damascus and district Qassa’a
6 Holy Cross Church Greek Orthodox Damascus and district Qassa’a
7 St Anthony of Padua’s Church Roman Catholic (Latin) Damascus and district Telyani
8 St Sergius’ Cathedral Armenian Orthodox Damascus and district Bab Sharqi
9 St Elias’ Church Melkite Greek Catholic Damascus and district Zabadani
10 Church of the Dormition Greek Orthodox Damascus and district Zabadani
11 Church of Our Lady of Peace Melkite Greek Catholic Damascus and district Harasta
12 St Elias’ Church Greek Orthodox Damascus and district Harasta
13 St George’s Church Greek Orthodox Damascus and district Herbin
14 St Paul’s Church Melkite Greek Catholic Damascus and district Daraya
15 St Tekla’s Church Greek Orthodox Damascus and district Daraya
16 St Elias’ Church Melkite Greek Catholic Damascus and district Hina
17 Sts Sergius and Bacchus’ Monastery Melkite Greek Catholic Damascus and district Ma’alula
18 St George’s Church Melkite Greek Catholic Damascus and district Ma’alula
19 St Leontius’ Church Melkite Greek Catholic Damascus and district Ma’alula
20 St Elias’ Church Melkite Greek Catholic Damascus and district Ma’alula
21 Sts Cosmas and Damian’s Shrine Melkite Greek Catholic Damascus and district Ma’alula
22 St Thomas’ Shrine Melkite Greek Catholic Damascus and district Ma’alula
23 St Saba’s Shrine Melkite Greek Catholic Damascus and district Ma’alula
24 Holy Cherubim Shrine Melkite Greek Catholic Damascus and district Ma’alula
25 St Barbara’s Shrine Greek Orthodox Damascus and district Ma’alula
26 Shrine of St Elias Greek Orthodox Damascus and district Ma’alula
27 St Tekla’s Church and Monastery Greek Orthodox Damascus and district Ma’alula
28 Church and Monastery of the Holy Cherubim Greek Orthodox Damascus and district Saydnaya
29 Church and Monastery of Our Lady Greek Orthodox Damascus and district Saydnaya
30 Church of Our Lady of the Annunciation Melkite Greek Catholic Ar-Raqqah Ar-Raqqah
31 Church of the Martyrs Armenian Catholic Ar-Raqqah Ar-Raqqah
32 Christian Education Centre Melkite Greek Catholic Ar-Raqqah Ar-Raqqah
33 Family Fraternity (care centre for the disabled ) Melkite Greek Catholic Ar-Raqqah Ar-Raqqah
34 Sts Sergius and Bacchus’ Church Melkite Greek Catholic Ar-Raqqah Al-Tabaqah
35 New-style Church Greek Orthodox Ar-Raqqah Madinat al-Thawra
36 Holy Cross Church Armenian Orthodox Ar-Raqqah Tell Abiad
37 Autonomous Church Armenian Orthodox Ar-Raqqah Tell Abiad
38 St Thomas’ Church Syriac orthodox Al-Hasakah Ras al-Ain
39 Gregory the Illuminator’s Church Armenian Catholic Deir al-Zur and district Deir al-Zur
40 Church and Monastery of the Capuchin Fathers Latin Deir al-Zur and district Deir al-Zur
41 Sisters’ Church Latin Deir al-Zur and district Deir al-Zur
42 Church of Our Lady Syriac orthodox Deir al-Zur and district Deir al-Zur
43 Church of the Martyrs Armenian Orthodox Deir al-Zur and district Deir al-Zur
44 Archbishopric Melkite Greek Catholic Aleppo Sahat farahat
45 Cathedral of the Dormition Greek Melkite Catholic Aleppo Sahat farahat
46 Church of the Forty Martyrs Armenian Orthodox Aleppo Al-jedayda
47 Monastery of St Francis of Assisi Latin Aleppo Al-azizyah
48 St Elias’ Church Greek Orthodox Aleppo Aal-fillat
49 St Michael’s Church Melkite Greek Catholic Aleppo Alazizyah
50 St Elias’ Church Maronite Aleppo Al-jedayda
51 Arab Evangelical Evangelical Aleppo Sabeh-bahrat
52 St Kevork’s Church Armenian Orthodox Aleppo Al-Mydan
53 St Maroun’s Church Maronite Aleppo Brad
54 Church and Monastery of St Joseph Latin Jisr Al-Shugour and district Al-Qnayyah
55 Our Lady’s Church Latin Jisr Al-Shugour and district Al-Yacubiyeh
56 Holy Cherubim Church Armenian Orthodox Jisr Al-Shugour and district Al-Yacubiyeh
57 Church and Monastery of St Anna Armenian Orthodox Jisr Al-Shugour and district Al-Yacubiyeh
58 Church and Monastery of St Anthony of Padua Latin Jisr Al-Shugour and district Al-qasaneyeh
59 Church of the Sacred Hearts Latin Jisr Al-Shugour and district Jisr Al-Shugour
60 Church of Our Lady of the Annunciation Melkite Greek Catholic Dar’a Chakra
61 Church of Our Lady of the Annunciation Melkite Greek Catholic Dar’a Namir
62 Sts Peter and Paul’s Church Melkite Greek Catholic Dar’a Rakham
63 Church of St John Damascene Melkite Greek Catholic Dar’a Dar’a
64 Church of Our Lady of the Annunciation Melkite Greek Catholic Dar’a Al-Mismyah
65 Church of Sts Constantine and Helena Melkite Greek Catholic Homs and district Yabroud
66 Church of Our Lady Melkite Greek Catholic Homs and district Yabroud
67 St George’s Church Syriac Orthodox Homs and district Sadad
68 St Michael’s Church and Cemetery Syriac Orthodox Homs and district Sadad
69 St Elias’ Church Syriac Orthodox Homs and district Sadad
70 St Theodore’s Church Syriac Orthodox Homs and district Sadad
71 St Michael’s Church Melkite Greek Catholic Homs and district Qara
72 Monastery of St James the Mutilated Melkite Greek Catholic Homs and district Qara
73 St Elias’ Church and Monastery Melkite Greek Catholic Homs and district Rablah
74 Monastery of St Moses the Abyssinian Syriac Catholic Homs and district An-Nabk
75 St Moses’ Church Syriac Catholic Homs and district An-Nabk
76 St George’s Church Melkite Greek Catholic Homs and district An-Nabk
77 Church and Monastery of the Dormition Melkite Greek Catholic Homs and district Al Husn
78 St Joseph’s Church Melkite Greek Catholic Homs and district Giwar-al-hafes
79 St John Chrysostom’s Church Greek Orthodox Homs and district Hawash
80 Church of the Dormition Greek Orthodox Homs and district Deir Atiyah
81 Our Lady’s Church Melkite Greek Catholic Homs and district Deir Atiyah
82 St Elias’ Church Melkite Greek Catholic Homs and district Al-Qusayr
83 Monastery of the Jesuit Fathers Latin Homs and district Bostan Al Dewan
84 St Charbel’s Church Maronite Homs and district Al-hamidieh
85 Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace Melkite Greek Catholic Homs and district Bostan Al Dewan
86 Our Lady’s Church Syriac orthodox Homs and district Al-hamidieh
87 St Elias’ Church Greek Orthodox Homs and district Al-hamidieh
88 Cathedral of the Forty Martyrs Greek Orthodox Homs and district Bostan Al Dewan