"I am now starting my sixth year as the archbishop of Port-au-Prince, and it is really very difficult. Until now, I have not been able to achieve even a quarter of what I had intended, because one must cope with daily life – and this daily life consists of suffering, violence, gunfights, poverty, and deprivation."

"Good Friday has a very strong meaning because you see the suffering. We see the cross. Once we had a 24-hour prayer vigil in our church, and we prayed all the Psalms. We called the celebration ‘the Church under the cross.’ This is our place as Christians. We are the Church under the cross."

In their message, the bishops encourage all national agencies and players to find a solution to the current crisis and to restore peace and security for all Haitians. They also ask for the establishment of an inclusive transitional government, capable of ensuring true national harmony.

Both Muslims and Christians are leaving, but the number of Christians in Syria is so small that their departure would call into question the very existence of Christianity in the country. According to current estimates, only around 175,000 Christian families remain.

“Many ask me: ‘How can God allow this to happen?’ It is very difficult for me to answer. But I draw my strength from Eucharistic adoration.”

According to information received by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), the village was attacked in the early hours of Sunday, February 18th, leaving 11 dead, including five children, and seven injured.