For the first time since the start of the civil war, the Maronite Church in Syria has celebrated a solemn Mass in the historic sanctuary of San Marón, located in the village of Brad, northwest of Aleppo, as reported by the media outlet ACI MENA. The return of the liturgy to this place, after more than 15 years of silence, has been received as a sign of hope and spiritual rebirth for the Christian community in the country.
A Return Full of Meaning
The celebration, presided over by P. Ghandi Mahanna, brought together more than 80 pilgrims—youth and adults—in an event organized by the Scouts Maronitas. The faithful participated with deep emotion in this sanctuary where, according to tradition, the remains of the founder of Eastern monasticism, San Marón, patron of the Maronite Church, rest.
During the homily, the priest recalled that “the true presence of God is found in every human heart,” exhorting those present to live the faith “through love and daily witness.” The Mass was also an act of thanksgiving for the survival of the Christian faith in a land struck by violence and exile.
Pilgrimage to the Origins of Syrian Christianity
In addition to the Eucharistic celebration, the pilgrims visited the ruins of the Church of Saint Simeon the Stylite, one of the oldest monuments of Eastern Christianity, and the cave-chapel of the hermit Toufic Ajib, which suffered damage during the conflict. These places, known as part of the “Dead Cities”, preserve vestiges of Christian Syria from the early centuries.
Accompanied by security forces that ensured safe passage, the participants prayed for peace, reconciliation, and the return of the displaced. In the words of one of the young people: “Syria was beautiful, and it still is; the faith has not died”.
The Maronite Church, deeply rooted in this area since the early centuries of Christianity, thus reaffirms its commitment to remain alongside the Syrian people, proclaiming the Gospel even among the ruins.