Young people in Syria, Lebanon celebrate WYD at home

Thousands of young Christians gathered in Syria and Lebanon for a remote celebration of World Youth Day, with catechism, prayer, and plenty of fun. This year, World Youth Day was held in Lisbon and attended by over a million people, including Pope Francis, who presided over the final Mass of the event.

In the first week of August, hundreds of thousands of young Catholics came together in Lisbon for World Youth Day 2023, and over 1.5 million people attended the closing Mass, said by Pope Francis. Due to visa restrictions and financial difficulty, many young Christians in Syria and Lebanon were unable to travel to Portugal for the event. But with the help of ACN, they organized their own activities, in parallel with the official WYD, and participated in the experience.

About 1,500 young people gathered in Bzommar, Lebanon, and the atmosphere was joyous and full of prayer. “Even though we are not in Portugal with everyone else, we feel like we are part of this big event, and we are very happy to be here,” said one young woman. “I want to thank the donors who made this possible in Lebanon, just like in Portugal, so we can have this experience and increase our faith in Christ,” said a young man.

Over the course of four days, the event in Lebanon closely followed the schedule of WYD in Portugal, with catechism sessions, workshops, a Via Crucis, the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and many moments of praise. It concluded with a Mass presided over by Patriarch Rai, head of the Maronite Catholic Church, alongside the Armenian Catholic Patriarch, the Apostolic Nuncio, and representatives from the Catholic churches of Lebanon.

Aside from the financial and logistical help of Aid to the Church in Need, the event was made possible by more than 700 volunteers from Lebanese Christian organizations.

“Lebanon has been without a government for nine months. The country is in a political gridlock and its worst economic shape since World War II. One of the tragedies of the crisis is that most young Catholics can only dream of affording travel to WYD, when, now more than ever, they need encouragement and solidarity from the Church. This local event was organized with tremendous professionalism, and we hope it will breathe new life into the Church here,” said Xavier Stephen Bisits, project director for ACN in Syria and Lebanon.

One participant said, “Since most of us cannot travel or get our passport, it feels like a gift from God that we can have the same experience as the people in Portugal and be touched in the same way.”

‘Our faith is stronger than our difficulties’

In Syria, at the same time, about 1,000 young Catholics went to Saidnaya, outside Damascus, which is home to a monastery dedicated to the Virgin Mary and an important pilgrimage site for Syrian Christians.

Rama, an organizer from Damascus, helped to arrange the meeting and was overjoyed that “people from different parts of Syria could join us in this event, and that we could show them a ray of hope at this difficult time.”

“I occasionally forgot myself, seeing the young people so happy,” she continued. “I felt the power coming from the ground beneath them. We are very thankful for this opportunity.”

Many Syrians attended World Youth Day in Portugal, but most of them came from expatriate communities, and only two young girls made the trip from Syria directly.

Due to the efforts of organizers, including ACN, Christians from all over Syria attended the event in Saidnaya. Some of them came from the impoverished south, where young Catholics are rarely in contact with other Christian groups. But here, a participant observed, “we live like one family.”

Recharging souls

Rose, an Armenian Catholic who lives in Aleppo, Syria, spoke about the benefits of initiatives like this for people who have suffered so much. “I am here today in Saidnaya with 1,000 people, after 10 years of war, two years of the pandemic, and a devastating earthquake. This should’ve been enough to ruin our hope, but our faith is stronger our difficulties, and we believe that there are better days ahead. We have hope, we have joy, and after meeting everyone today, we have recharged our souls. It was great to connect with everyone, to share our positive stories and our struggles. Together, we are stronger, and we can move on.”

The meeting in Syria was overseen by Patriarch Youssef Absi of the Melkite Catholic Church and attended by Cardinal-Archbishop Mario Zenari, Apostolic Nuncio to Syria, who spoke movingly to those present. “Some young Syrians are very lucky to represent all of you in Lisbon. By meeting them, Pope Francis will meet all of you, and young people from all over the world will meet all of you, too. Your joys, hopes, and concerns will be presented by these Syrian friends of yours to the Pope and to everyone in attendance,” said the Vatican diplomat.

“Dear young people, the breath of the Holy Spirit that renews the Church needs you! And a new Syria, built on new moral, social, and economic foundations, needs you, too,” the Nuncio concluded.

ACN executive president Regina Lynch also sent a message to the participants, acknowledging their many losses over the years – of homes, jobs, friends, family, and hope.

But, she added, “it is equally important to highlight what you have not lost, a love for the Church and for your neighbor, in a country that has almost fallen apart. You, the young people of Syria, inspire me. I know how hard you work in your parishes, in your homes, and in your communities to evangelize and serve. You are an inspiration for the Catholics around the world who have donated to support this event.”

“A blessed time, a time of grace”

According to Xavier Bisits, most European states will not grant visas for events like WYD, due to the number of young Syrians who have fled the country in crisis.

“All the young people I spoke to, especially those who came from unstable, distant regions, were touched by the sense of unity and solidarity,” he said. “It gave them a sense of hope.”

His sentiment was echoed by Father Fadi Syriani, a Syro-Lebanese Lazarist priest serving in Syria. “This is a beautiful opportunity to participate with the young people, to be united with everyone, to celebrate our faith together, and to celebrate joy, with all the people in Lisbon and with our Pope Francis.”

—Filipe d’Avillez