Issued by the Catholic Center for Studies and Media - Jordan. Editor-in-chief Fr. Rif'at Bader - موقع أبونا abouna.org
The icon "Our Lady of Syria of Sorrows", blessed by Pope Francis, has made its way through Syria’s 34 dioceses, starting in Damascus, the capital, to return hope to the entire Christian communities.
This icon was originally painted by Orthodox priest Fr. Spiridon Kabbash. He said, "We call this Icon 'Our Lady of Syria of Sorrows,' consoling the Syrian people. I chose to give it to Pope Francis and he invited me to Vatican and I met him. He hosted me, in the Vatican and invited me to lunch and we spoke a lot about the situation in Syria. It was incredible."
He added, "We decided to organize a liturgical celebration for the martyrs and the kidnapped people. We will and pray in all the Orthodox and Catholic churches for unity and peace in Syria."
International President of Aid to the Church in Need Cardinal Mauro Piacenza said that when he saw the icon, he noticed that Our Lady's face expressed both sorrow and consolation. He saw the tenderness with which the Blessed Mother looks at her people.
He added, "There is not a single family that has not suffered the death of a loved one. These tears must be wiped away. The pope is very sensitive to this fact, to the need to wipe away the tears of those who suffer."
The arrival of the icon in Damascus in the hands of Apostolic Nuncio to Syria Mario Zenari was widely celebrated. The hope is that its presence will represent a hug from the world, a symbol of unity amid tribulation.
The bottom part of the icon is divided into two parts. On one side are the Syrian people seeking comfort. On the other side are the persecutors. They are the extremists who caused the martyrdom of the now-saints, depicted on the top part of the icon. Among them are Deacon Fahed Issa Al-Naimi and Frans van der Lught, a Dutch Jesuit who was shot to death five years ago.
This initiative is part of Aid to the Church in Need's project “Console My People.” The goal is to support Christians in Syria. For eight years they have lived in an interminable war that has robbed them of everything, including their loved ones.
On Sunday September 15, 2019, Pope Francis blessed the icon of Our Lady of Sorrows, Consoler of the Syrian People, at a private ceremony in the Vatican attended by a delegation from Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), which is behind the initiative.
The charity teamed up with Greek Orthodox priest Fr. Spiradon Kabbash, who created the icon as a message of hope. He said at the time, “We will send it to many places in the world because they need consolation from God. The war is too heavy for the people".
Speaking after the papal blessing ceremony, Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, President of Aid to the Church in Need (International), said that the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows gives a lesson in true maternal compassion.
We entrust to the Blessed Mother all the sufferings of Syrian mothers who weep for their dead or injured children.
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