Mosques and Churches in Russia Gather Humanitarian Aid For Beleaguered Syrians
The parishioners of Christian churches and mosques of Russia collected 70 tons of groceries for the inhabitants of Syria. The delegation of the Council for Interaction with Religious Associations under the President of Russia delivered humanitarian aid to Damascus.
Our special correspondent Nikolai Vasilyev is reporting from Syria.
- Thank you very much! Just look at this: flour, rice, oil.
Each box has 25 kilograms of food. Russian priests learned from parishioners what to bring to Syria's people of faith.
"The most important things are baby food and dry milk. We don't always find what we need. And we don't always have the money."
Asmina, her husband, and their son Habib are Christians. But humanitarian aid from Russia's people of faith is also being given out in mosques. This is an initiative of the Inter-religious Working Group for Rendering Humanitarian Aid to the Population of Syria.
This is the first time that a Christian-Muslim humanitarian mission has taken place. In Syria, such cooperation surprises no one. In the country's capital, Damascus, minarets with crescents and bell towers with crosses often stand next to each other. And at the old market in the city center, you can find original colorful drawings.
Humanitarian aid was brought to Syria by representatives of all the Christian denominations — Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox Armenians, as well as Muslim theologians from Siberia, Dagestan, and Moscow.
Albir Krganov, Mufti of the Muslim Spiritual Assembly of Russia: "Russia and Syria are very alike because Syria is a multi-religious country and Russia has been a multinational and multi-religious state from the start. There's no pain that's not ours. And we always react and help. And when we see what the Syrian Arab Republic faced, of course, we can't stay aside".
Hieromonk Stefan, inter-Christian relations secretary: "Help for this campaign came from different people. And now, Russia's Christians and Muslims are visiting Syria together, and we've been visiting Christian churches in Damascus all day, as well as mosques, distributing aid we've collected".
The Armenian Cathedral of Saint Sergius was on the front line just a year ago. One of the yard's statues has marks from shelling. Once, a bomb hit the Sabbath school. Four children died. But the Cathedral wasn't closed, not even for a minute.
Arman Nanbaldyan, head of the Armenian episcopate: "The main weapon we can give our parishioners, the weapon that can defeat terror is love, hope, and joy. All this helps us to not only survive in this difficult time but also to think about a new and happy life".
Smiles and words of gratitude to Russians are in all cathedrals, regardless of the creed.
"I have seven children. We never thought of leaving our native Damascus. The fact that both Christians and Muslims in Russia worry about us helps a lot. It's even more pleasant than such parcels".
Apart from Damascus residents, humanitarian aid will be distributed in Aleppo and throughout refugee camps. The parishioners of Russian cathedrals and mosques donated an unprecedented 70 tons of food to Syrians.
Nikolai Vasilyev, Vladimir Averin, Vesti, Syria, Damascus.