The Franciscan who stayed in
war-torn Syria
 |
| Fr Firas Lufti with children among the ruins of Aleppo |
Syrian Fr Firas Lufti is a Franciscan working in the Holy
Land. He is Minister of the Region of St. Paul, which includes Syria, Lebanon
and Jordan. In this story, he describes nine years of violence, destruction and
death during the war in Syria: how he stayed there with his people, and how
today he helps children rediscover their smiles.
By Silvonei Protz
If you rely on what you see and read in the media, you might
think the war in Syria is over. That’s because few media outlets talk about it
anymore. As a Syrian living in Syria, that is deeply disturbing to Franciscan
Fr Firas Lufti, who stayed in his country throughout the war. "It's true
the fighting has stopped in some areas”, he says, “but we must take into
account the fact that the war lasted for nine years. There has been massive
destruction, houses demolished, entire neighbourhoods in ruins, churches that
have to be rebuilt… Half the population of 23 million people before the war is
gone: between deaths, refugees and displaced people”.
Franciscan Fr Firas Lufti, working in the Holy Land
Searching for solutions
As a Franciscan, and as a Christian, Fr Firas has never
given up hope. While there are times it seems like there is nothing he can do,
his Franciscan heart continues to search for solutions. "How can I help my
people?" he asks himself constantly. The international Franciscan
community is already doing a lot. With the help of solidarity campaigns, and the
generosity of many benefactors, he has been able to distribute food parcels and
drinking water. Donations have allowed him to help finance micro projects, or
to assist young married couples. "These projects are testimonies that the
Lord gives and continues to give”, he says.
In the midst of the tragedy of war, Fr Firas says he
continues to feel the presence of God in a very concrete way. He confirms that
the Church has never left the side of the suffering people. The pressure of the
war forced some priests and religious to leave, he says, but the majority of
bishops, priests and religious orders decided to stay. He gives the example of
two of his Franciscan companions who live in the north of the country, near the
border with Turkey, close to the historic city of Antioch. "They are
living there under the control of the jihadists”, he says, “taking care of the
tiny group of Christians who have remained”. There are about 200 Christians in
the area, who not only carry Christianity in their DNA, but who also suffer to
maintain a concrete testimony of the 2,000-year old Christian presence in the
area where, for the first time, Christians adopted the name of "followers
of Christ".
Fr Firas Lufti and children of the Therapeutic Art project
Smiles on children’s faces
There are two projects currently underway in Syria that are
dedicated to children. One is in the city of Aleppo, where Fr Firas lived
during the war: it is called "therapeutic art". A team of specialists
and volunteers do everything they can to help children recover from the
psychological trauma brought about by the war. Activities at the center include
music, sport, and swimming. “We have provided a beautiful swimming pool because
during the war they could not play, leave the house, or study, for fear of
being killed”, says Fr Firas. Around one thousand children attend the
centre during the summer.
Another project involves the Muslim community. "Only
Muslims lived, and still live, in East Aleppo”, explains Fr Firas. "During
the war their land was occupied by jihadists. Women were raped, children were
murdered... The children witnessed terrible scenes of people having their
throats cut by these fanatics”. He describes the forced marriages of jihadists
with Syrian women, and the children born of these unions. These children are
not officially recognized and there is no registration of their birth at the
registry office. They exist physically, but not legally. When the jihadists
left Aleppo in 2017, the situation was terrifying, says Fr Firas:
"Children of 4 or 5 years were living with their mother or
grandmother because their parents were no longer alive. Some were left to their
own devices and had never attended school. Not to mention the psychological
trauma and accumulation of terror they experienced during the fighting”.
Father Firas Lufti with the children of Aleppo
There are two centers, each housing 500 boys and girls
ranging from 3 or 4 years of age, up until 16. Another program, that already
existed in the college "Terre Sainte" in Aleppo, was extended. Fr
Firas stresses how the two centers were born from a relationship with the Muslim
world: "The Mufti of Aleppo is a very dear friend of ours”, he explains,
“and together with the Apostolic Vicar of the Latin community of Syria, a great
friendship grew, both before and during the war”. The first fruit was closer
collaboration in order to address the urgent needs of the children traumatized
by the war.
The project is run in close collaboration with the Muslim
community and has deep significance for Fr Firas. It shows how it is never too
late to do good, to spread hope, and to heal wounds. According to Fr Firas,
dialogue is not something you engage in around a table, but “working together,
hand in hand, heart to heart”. It may take 30 or even 50 years to rebuild
Syria, he says, but true reconstruction comes from within: not with bricks, but
by rebuilding the person inside us.
Syria as a mission
When anyone asks Fr Firas why he stayed in Syria during the
war, he always answers in the same way: "Because I am a Franciscan, a
believer. And when the Lord created me there, it was for a purpose: to be His
face, His hands, His feet that bring the Good News, the tenderness, and the
mercy of God”.
Fr Firas feels he was “called” by God to share the dramatic
experience of his country, where people suffer and die every day. "It is
just like the grain of wheat that must die in order to produce much fruit”, he
concludes. “Exactly as Jesus says in the Gospel".
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