On the occasion of the 23^rd Session Of the Economic and Social Commission

Convened by the United Nations

The meeting provided an opportunity for Fraternite Notre Dame to exchange views with prominent figures from the Islamic Arabic and Christian world from the countries that surround Syria : that is, Lebanon , Jordan , Israel , Palestine and Iraq .

As soon as we arrived, these encounters allowed us to appreciate the great hospitality of the Syrian people.

After the closing of the meeting, our stay was prolonged in the footprints of Saint Paul in Damascus , while we got to know the Christians in Damascus and her surroundings. We were then able to assess how Christianity is not in fact essentially the religion of Europe , but rather the religion of the Middle East , cradle of Christianity and a fertile land for many churches and monasteries.

For us, Servants of Our Lady, it was very great joy to be given such a warm and spontaneous welcome by these Catholic Christians, Greek-Catholics, Orthodox, melchites and maronites.

We have felt a true ecumenism, enjoying and respecting one another mutually with our enriching differences and our common roots found in Christ and in Mary, acknowledging really that we are brothers and sisters in Christ.

Syria is called the country of Cham, from the name of one of Noa’s sons, who gave a new start to civilization after the flood. Historians consider Syria as the cradle of civilization.

Our steps led us to the place where St Paul converted, and the Saint Ananias church where he found refuge. As did Pope John Paul II, we paid a visit to St Paul ’s church erected on the place where his friends lowered him in a basked to escape his persecutors.

Saul, who had left a persecutor, was turned into a zealous witness of Jesus risen, he influenced the spread of Christianity: this is what the Greek Catholic, Melchite Patriarch of Antioch, Alexandria , Jerusalem and all the West, who welcomed us quite cordially, explained to us.

The old city, contained into millenary fortifications, protects churches from various denominations, all close to one another. Churches are built next to mosques, and we, the Christians from the West, were very much struck by the fact these religions would live together in good harmony.

We did not have to build a timetable for our days, because providential encounters with Eastern Christians would dictate it to us. Families offered us board and hospitality with a thousand interesting anecdotes on this cohabitation, which is much more peaceful here in the Middle East than it is in the West.

These Arabic Christians are little known, but they express themselves in an impeccable French, and they keep a praiseful and respectful souvenir of the Missionaries, brothers and sisters from France who raised them up in the past.

These Arabic Christians expressed their disappointment about Western Europe that denies her Christian Faith and let herself be stripped little by little of her Christian values, that made up all her grandeur and fame.

In this month of May, consecrated to the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, what a comfort was it for us to see on street corners, statues of Our Lady ornate with flowers, Greek Catholic Churches, and the Syrian-Catholic, the Orthodox, the Maronites and the Armenian and all filled with young people and adults, praying the rosary, and venerating icons of Our Lady!

Families visibly display their faith at home: crucifixes, picture frames of Our Lady, the Sacred Heart, either in private homes or in business places or schools.

How much Our Lady must cherish this land, for She appeared in the Soufanieh area, and a pure olive oil has been oozing from it profusely for many years!

The various prominent religious figures encourage the pilgrimage, testifying to their great trust towards the Mother of God.

Muslims, Greek-Catholics, orthodox, maronites, etc. come and venerate the Icon of Our Lady of Soufanieh at Myrna’s, the mystical person whom we have met.

It was really comforting to see such Christian and Marian faith in Syria . Arabic Christians really need to be known. We appreciated the welcome Orthodox Christians, Greek or Syrian

Again we should not forget to mention the great mosque of the Umayyad, one of the largest in the Islamic world, where Muslim ladies came and kissed the crucifix of our congregation; worth to be noted here: the mosque preserves a cenotaph that contains the head of Saint John the Baptist, the forerunner of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

We have prayed on this land, cradle of the Christian Faith, for our Congregation, and for our Founder, Most Reverend Bishop Jean Marie, who values true ecumenism and works for the unity of Christians in all his foundations.