Syria: Locals attend Christmas tree lighting ceremony in war-devastated Al-Zabadani

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Locals attended celebrations held ahead of Christmas in war-devastated Al-Zabadani, Saturday, for the first time since the beginning of the Syrian Civil War in 2011.

People took part in a prayer at a local church, enjoyed a drumming band performance as well as the main event - the lighting of the Christmas tree accompanied with fireworks.

Music leader in the Ensemble of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary in Al-Zabadani, Ibrahim Ibrahim said that despite physical absence from the area due to the war, the people were still present there ‘in their heart and soul.’

Al-Zabadani was under the control of anti-government forces for several years and was finally recaptured by the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and allied troops in April 2017.

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SOT, Jawdat Nicola, Member of parish council of ‘Dormition of the Virgin Church in Zabadani’ (Arabic): “Today, after ten years of war and destruction, the Christmas tree will be lit again in this church, which we are still reconstructing, in order to sow joy in the hearts of the people and the hearts of the parishioners.”

SOT, Ibrahim Ibrahim, Leader of band at ‘Dormition Ceremony of the Virgin Mary in Zabadani’ (Arabic): “Today we are here at the tree lighting ceremony after ten years of displacement from the region. Back then in 2010/2011, we lit the tree for the last time in this square and this region in general. Now we are back again in 2021/2022 to re-light the tree, and to reaffirm our presence in this area, our presence in this church, and the presence of the parish in the Zabadani city. We affirm that even if our bodies were absent from this area for certain years, our hearts and souls were always here.”

SOT, Archbishop Moussa Khoury, Patriarchal Associate of Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East to Patriarch John X (Arabic): “After the war that took place within ten years, people were displaced abroad from here, however, the displacement was spatial, as they were moving from one place to another, Al-Zabadani has always remained in their hearts. We were ready to return at any moment, and after we were able to come back again, No one falls short, neither the state nor the church, we tried to repair the houses, as I remember, we have repaired about 600 houses and there are other people who were repairing their houses, and the state continues to repair and our Muslim brothers also, all the people of Zabadani joined hands with each other to return the country better than before, as you can see the church has returned better than before, and everything fixed is returning better than before.”

#Syria #AlZabadani #ChristmasTreeLighting

Video ID: 20211219-004

Video on Demand: https://ruptly.tv/videos/20211219-004
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