The Voice of the suffering and persecuted​

The village was badly damaged during the fighting of recent years but the Christian community has returned—in large numbers. By now, 405 of the 580 homes that were destroyed in Bashiqa have already been rebuilt and about half of the Christians, or 1,585 people, have returned.

“What happened in Homs was very hard. Still, we did not think about emigrating because we have strong commitments here and ties with our local community—the idea of emigration was totally unacceptable to my father. He feels rooted in the land and leaving Syria is not for him.”

The inclusion of the statement that “the Cuban state is a secular state” (Article 15) suggests an acknowledgment of the “right of the individual to believe in those values that reflect his or her faith, to live them and to proclaim them.”

“We do not know if every family will return to the Nineveh Plains, but we do believe that all Christians have a duty to shape the identity of the region. We want to live on our land, and we ask that our people stand with us. We must preserve our identity and history for the sake of children of the diaspora—our enduring presence here must not be compromised.”

“As long as we have faith, there is no need to worry or fear. Whenever we encounter disaster, we grow closer to God, so we should never despair. Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you and to share what is inside of me.”

“When I was offered a bodyguard, I refused, believing that the work of Jesus did not require a machine gun; He promised his people that he would be with us until the end of time.”

“Of course there is still so much pain and suffering for so many of us, but to be finally back home and able to re-start our lives is a huge step forward and an important sign of hope.”

“The Christian minority on the island of Jolo are not the only victims; there are also Muslims who tell me: ‘Father, we too are threatened because we are not the same kind of Muslims as they are.'”

“What is especially shocking is the fact that they should murder a missionary who has given his life to bring about development and who worked with the young people; a man who loved this country where the social work of the Catholic Church in education and healthcare has brought major benefits to everyone, and not just to the Christians. This murder is an attack on the country as a whole.”

“I believe that I survived these attacks because the angels were protecting me. We would have stayed in Aleppo had my father not taken the violence seriously; he secured a safe place for us and did not waste a moment.”