Nun: The Sign of Genocide (Please join Aug 1 Day of Solidarity and Prayer)

Rorate-caeli ^ | July 19, 2014

[NYer]

Please, join the August 1st Day of Adoration, Prayer and Solidarity for 

Persecuted Christians in Iraq, Syria, and the Middle East

In solidarity with our Persecuted Brethren in Iraq and Syria

Nun (ن), the 14th letter of the Arabic alphabet (the equivalent of letter N in our Roman alphabet), is the first letter of the word Nasara (نصارى : Nazarenes), the way Muslims have called Christians since the beginning of their invasion of the Christian world in the 7th century -- Christians under Muslim rule never called themselves thus, since the intent of Muslims was to portray Christians as a contemptible and disobedient sect.

It is the same name of the equivalent letter (נ) in the Hebrew alphabet (also a Semitic language), and it reminds us of the words of Jeremiah, also crying for an exile of his people sent to Mesopotamia:

Nun. The yoke of my iniquities hath watched: they are folded together in his hand, and put upon my neck: my strength is weakened: the Lord hath delivered me into a hand out of which I am not able to rise. (Lamentations, 1)

In their genocidal physical elimination of Christians from the Mesopotamian city of Mosul, Muslim terrorists marked each Christian-owned institution and building with this letter, for the extermination of holdouts and expropriation of their belongings:

They mean it as a mark of shame, we must then wear it as a mark of hope: Yes, we are in the army of the Resurrected Nazarene, the Master and Lord of the Universe, the Man who is God Almighty, the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity. You may kill our brethren and expel them, but we Christians will never go away. 

_______________________________

Note: Below, the full translation of the interview granted by the Syrian (Syriac) Catholic Patriarch of Antioch, Ignace Joseph III Younan, to Sergio Cenofanti of Vatican Radio (in Italian).

Ignace Joseph III Younan – The latest news is disastrous. We repeat, with great affliction, that which we have always said: religion must not be mixed up with human or political relations, etc. If enmities exist between Shiites, Sunnis, or whoever else it may be, this must not be in any way a reason for attacking innocent Christians and other minorities in Mosul and elsewhere. Nor is it a reason for destroying places of worship, churches, Episcopal residences, parishes – in the name of a so-called terrorist organization which neither cares about nor heeds religion, having no regard for international conscience. We declare, with great distress, that our bishopric in Mosul has been completely burned down: manuscripts, libraries, etc. But they have already announced that all Christians must convert to Islam or else they will be executed. It is a terrible thing! And this puts the international community to shame!

Sergio Cenofanti – Are there still Christians in Mosul?

IJY – There are none left! There are none left! There were about ten families forced to flee yesterday, but they stripped them of everything. They wanted to go to Kurdistan, but were left alone at the frontier of the city, and only after being robbed of everything. They insulted those Christians and just left them in the middle of the desert. Unfortunately, that's the way it is.

SC – What is the current situation of these dispersed Christians?

IJY – They have taken refuge in Kurdistan, where they were received. But we have also heard that the Prime Minister of Kurdistan says that Kurdistan can no longer receive refugees, because not only Christian minorities have taken flight to Kurdistan, but also other minorities such as Shiites, Yazidi, etc. It is terrible!

SC – How can these Islamic fundamentalists be stopped?

IJY – They must stop being financed. Where do they get their weapons and all the rest? From these fundamentalist nations of the Gulf, with the “placet” of Western politics, because they need their oil! Unfortunately that's the way it is. It really is a shame!

SC – What appeal do you make?

IJY – We ask the international community to be faithful to the principles regarding human rights, religious freedom, freedom of conscience. We are present in Iraq, in Syria, in Lebanon: Christians were not imported. We have been here for millennia, and so we have the right to be treated like human beings and citizens of these nations! Look, in the name of their religion they persecute us, and not only do they threaten, but they carry out their threats: they burn and they kill. [Translation by Carmen McMaire]

[NYer]

Ping!

[jacknhoo]

Gospel According to Saint Matthew 2:[19] But when Herod was dead, behold an angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to Joseph in Egypt, [20] Saying: Arise, and take the child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel. For they are dead that sought the life of the child.

[21] Who arose, and took the child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. [22] But hearing that Archelaus reigned in Judea in the room of Herod his father, he was afraid to go thither: and being warned in sleep retired into the quarters of Galilee. [23] And coming he dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was said by prophets: That he shall be called a Nazarene.

[lastchance]

I will be praying.

[CJ Wolf]

looks like a mutant smiley, I will be praying. -)

[OpusatFR]

Is there any relief agency handling donations for the diaspora. I would want any donation to go to the families not be disbursed for other reasons.

[NYer]

Is there any relief agency handling donations for the diaspora. I would want any donation to go to the families not be disbursed for other reasons.

Always leery of Catholic Relief Services, I have made donations through Aid to the Church in Need. This link is designated specifically to those suffering persecution in Iraq.

---

Our Mission

"The Catholic Church asks no privileges for herself but only the legitimate conditions of freedom to carry out her mission.  In the concert of nations, she always seeks to encourage understanding and cooperation between peoples based on loyalty, discretion and friendliness."

— Pope Benedict XVI

As an international Catholic charity under the guidance of the Holy Father, Aid to the Church in Need’s mission is to help suffering and persecuted faithful worldwide.

As the voice of the suffering Church, with the help of our ACN family of faithful — hundreds of thousands of concerned and committed Catholics worldwide — we reach out to assist people in need in over 145 countries. Each year, we fulfill more than 5,000 projects through our spiritual and material aid programs. Our shared goal: To help strengthen the Church and keep the Faith alive.

Where there is darkness and despair, we provide light, hope, and a constant sign that the Church is a dynamic, single, universal body in Christ.

On their web site, you have the option of specifying how you want your donation directed. God bless!

[cloudmountain]

All the Saudis I ever spoke with (only the 30 men we worked with) called us "Christians."

We had an Anglican vicar who visited for an Anglican service once a week, on Fridays, of course.

We had a Protestant minister who led the Protestant Friday service...since the "holy" day is Friday. He and his wife lived on camp. WONDERFUL person.

We also had a Catholic priest, also living on camp, who said Mass EVERY DAY at 9:00 A.M. I got my habit of daily Mass over there WITH the blessing of my Muslim boss. He said that: "God is number one. There is always time for God. CloudMountain (not my real name, of course, could go to pray whenever she wanted." My CATHOLIC co-worker from India fiercely objected to me going to daily Mass EVEN THOUGH I made up the time at lunch.

So, I have to thank my Muslim boss, Mohammad Hussein, for my habit of daily Mass. I don't think that any American boss would allow that.

[Mrs. Don-o]

read later

[Salvation]

Padre Pio prayed 80 Rosaries a day.

Shall all of us try to match that tomorrow?

[LonePalm]

Nos prières à Dieu augmentent pour nos frères Chrétiens persécutés dans le monde entier.
(Our Prayers to God increase for our fellow Christians being persecuted around the world.)

Notre Père qui es aux cieux,
Que ton Nom soit sanctifié, que ton règne vienne,
Que ta volonté soit faite sur la terre comme au ciel.
Donne-nous aujourd'hui notre pain de ce jour.
Pardonne-nous nos offenses, comme nous pardonnons aussi à ceux qui nous ont offensés.
Et ne nous soumets pas à la tentation, mais délivre-nous du mal.
Car c’est à Toi qu’appartiennent le règne, la puissance et la gloire,
pour les siècles des siècles. Amen

Je vous salue, Marie, pleine de grâces,
le Seigneur est avec vous, vous êtes bénie entre toutes les femmes,
et Jésus le fruit de vos entrailles est béni.
Sainte Marie, Mère de Dieu, priez pour nous pauvres pécheurs,
maintenant, et à l'heure de notre mort. Ainsi-soit-il.

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)

[BeadCounter]

Thanks for that, I use to go to the Lourdes website all the time to watch the webcam. I think it is still there and one can leave their prayer petitions there, I have done that not too long ago.

[Salvation]

Of course, we all could bump the thread which each decade too.

[Salvation]

**Shall all of us try to match that tomorrow on August 1st?**

[miss marmelstein]

And while levitating!

[BeadCounter]

And hearing Confessions I believe.

[RichInOC]

The guys at Eye of the Tiber had sort of the same idea along with some Eighties nostalgia:

http://www.eyeofthetiber.com/2014/07/19/mosul-muslims-delight-christian-neighbors-with-one-eyed-willy-smiley-faces/

(For those not familiar, Eye of the Tiber is to Catholic news what The Onion is to secular news.)

[defconw]

80! I’ll start with one for sure then we’ll see!

[SpirituTuo]

That is quite a challenge!

[defconw]

I put this on my Facebook. We can get it out to more people if any of you are so inclined.