Posted on 12/05/2013 2:26:55 PM PST by NYer
The Syrian Greek-Catholic Church has three “true martyrs”. They are the “three men from Maaloula who refused to repudiate their faith,” and were killed for this reason, said Patriarch Gregory III Laham during his meeting with Pope Francis on Sunday, this according to a press release issued by the Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East, of Alexandria and Jerusalem of the Melkites.
The events that led to the three men’s death occurred during fighting on 3 -7 September in the town of Maaloula.
According to eyewitness accounts, men from the Syrian Free Army and the Jabhat al-Nusra Islamic Front carried out a coordinated attack in order to take control of Maaloula.
When the town fell, a climate of fear was imposed, witnesses said. When three men refused to repudiate their religion, they were summarily executed in public, and six more were taken hostage. This was followed by a failed attempt by Syrian government forces to retake the town.
“You,” Gregorios III told the pope, “spoke to us, asking us not to let the flame of hope die in our hearts . . . . We want to be martyrs on this earth, martyrs in blood, as was the case for some of our faithful, including the three men from Maaloula: Michel Thalab, Mtanios Thalab and Sarkis Zachem.”
“Holy Father, they are true martyrs. Ordered to give up their faith, they proudly refused. Three others however gave in and were forced to declare themselves Muslim, but later returned to the faith of their ancestors.”
According to what the families who fled from Maaloula had to say, some of their Muslim neighbours took part in the attack that devastated this historic village where people still speak Aramaic, the language of Jesus. Muslims are approximately one third of the population of the village, which is about 50 kilometres from Damascus.
“Our Church, which you love, today is a church in distress,” the Patriarch said. “For this church, which is facing an unprecedented situation in its history, you are Simon of Cyrene, who carried the cross.”
Abdel Mohti, Francis, and Raphael were three Maronite laymen killed inside the Franciscan church in Damascus while they were praying. The Massabki Brothers were three Maronite brothers who were devout Catholics and who gave their lives for their faith during the 1860 massacre of Christians in Damascus. Looters and rioters offered them the choice of renouncing Christ or of being brutally murdered, and they chose the latter. Their story is interesting because they were extremely materially wealthy, because they were laymen and because they died in a monastery with Franciscan brothers, speaking to the interconnectedness of the Church of the East and that of the West.
On 9 July 1860, the killers entered the Franciscan church in Damascus where the Brothers were in prayer. The Islamic fanatics gave the Brothers a choice: reject Christianity and accept Islam, or, be killed. The Brothers said: “You may destroy our lives but you cannot destroy our faith in Christ and our souls; we are Christians. In the faith of Christ we live and in the faith of Christ we shall die.” The three holy brothers were killed as were several of the Franciscan friars.
Pope Pius XI beatified the three Massabki brothers on 7 October 1926.
Corpus Christi Watershed is producing a movie Fire in Damascus on the lives of these 3 martyrs.
One thing the followers of Satan can not understand is how Christians can be willing to die for their faith in Jesus.
This doesn't have anything to do with money or sex so why is it worthy of note to Americans?
(sarcasm tag - for those who might need it)
Prayer for Peace in Syria
God of Compassion,
Hear the cries of the people of Syria,
Bring healing to those suffering from the violence,
Bring comfort to those mourning the dead,
Strengthen Syria’s neighbors in their care and welcome for refugees,
Convert the hearts of those who have taken up arms,
And protect those committed to peace.
God of Hope,
Inspire leaders to choose peace over violence and to seek reconciliation with enemies,
Inspire the Church around the world with compassion for the people of Syria,
And give us hope for a future of peace built on justice for all.
We ask this through Jesus Christ,
Prince of Peace and Light of the World,
Amen.
Petition: For the people of Syria, that God may strengthen the resolve of leaders to end the fighting and choose a future of peace.
Respectfully, I’d change that to:
This doesn’t have anything to do with money or sex and shows the reality of persecution of Christians so why is it worthy of note to the American Press?
A lot of American "Christians" think persecution means Syrians are getting told to live up to the agreement they signed when they bought their house and not have a couple dozen cars parked along both sides of their neighborhood street while they have "home church" for three or four hours.
Articles about actual persecution sort of steal their thunder.
Blessed are these three. I fear other will shair the crown of thorns of martyrdom in the future. How many need die before the west wakes up to this horror—maybe if some movie star is killed...
Holy Martyrs Michel Thalab, Mtanios Thalab and Sarkis Zachem, pray for us sinners.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, amen.
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