Two months have passed since the change in Syria and two years since its earthquake. Beyond geological factors, the aftershocks of the most prominent political event in the country in more than half a century continue to worry Syrians in general and Christians in particular.
Signs of Christian optimism are evident in the villages of rural Idlib, where fields have blossomed after years of drought, and residents are gradually reclaiming their stolen properties, thanks to the efforts of the Custody of the Holy Land monks. This week, the village of Yacoubia witnessed the reopening of St. Anna Church for Armenian Orthodox Christians after its restoration, and the first divine liturgy was held there, attended by more than 200 pilgrims after a 15-year hiatus.
On the other hand, Christians, like others, suffer from a lack of security discipline and the spread of kidnappings and thefts; a Christian man from the Hamidiya neighborhood in Homs left his home last Sunday and has not returned yet. Sometimes the violations reach the point of murder, as was the fate of a young Christian man from Latakia who was killed when he confronted a robbery gang.
Metropolitan Dionysius Antoine Shahda, Syriac Catholic Metropolitan of Aleppo, revealed that the issue of security control was among the demands presented by Christian leaders to the Governor of Aleppo during their meeting last Tuesday. He added, "The governor informed us that surveillance cameras will be installed in the city's streets to be illuminated at night by solar power. There will also be unified police uniforms and distinctive cars to prevent impersonators.
Shahda continued, "We face the problem of power outages, but we were promised at the meeting that electricity would reach the homes of Aleppians within three months, providing eight hours of power daily and 24 hours to factories."
Regarding the issues raised by the city's religious leaders, Shahda explained, "We talked about matters related to courts and the House of Justice, employee salaries, universities, and the respect of their sanctity. We also addressed the freedom of dress, especially for women, and not forcing them to wear the hijab. We pointed out that there is a Christian elite in Aleppo with various specializations that can implement what is required and participate in rebuilding.
He explained, "We are concerned with equal representation; for example, the Aleppo Doctors Syndicate Council does not include any Christians despite the large number of our doctors and their high skills. In my conversation with the governor, I emphasized the importance of honesty and dedication in service, and I said plainly that we have lived through many and great lies in the past, so 'either be honest with the people and meet their demands or leave our area; the years of war have exhausted us, and we do not want to enter a new turmoil.'
Shahda affirmed the Christians' desire for a civil and secular rule, concluding, "We were clear in our repeated meetings with officials that we, Christians and Muslims alike, do not accept the rule of Sharia and a purely religious character for the state. We are one family, so what prevents, for example, the election of a Christian or Muslim president of the republic from any sect? We are all first-class citizens."