RUSSIAN MILITARY DELIVERS HUMANITARIAN AID TO SAIDNAYA CONVENT IN SYRIA
Photo: Blagovest-Info
Orthochristian.com – 19/6/18
The Russian military active in Syria has handed delivered humanitarian aid to the much-suffering Convent of the Nativity of the Mother of God of Saidnaya near Damascus, reports Blagovest-Info.
As Abbess Febronia Nabkhan explained to journalists, thanks to the aid, there are currently summer courses in English and French being offered for the children of the monastery’s orphanage. They also study the Bible and play games and sports. The high school students are preparing for their exams.
The abbess also noted that during the conflict with Muslim terrorists, the territory around the monastery was bombed from the north, although lessons continued. The inhabitants of the neighboring village contributed in every way to the maintenance of the monastery, bringing food and helping financially.
“We were bombed from Lebanon. We were studying, and the school is located right on the street. We were hit three times, but, thank God, there were no casualties. God saves us, and the church saves us. We all saw fire burning all around,” Mother Febronia explained.
“The convent is surrounded by Muslim villages from all sides, and there are many fanatics there. But the Most Holy Theotokos is protecting us, the nuns and the laity feel her invisible presence and are not going to leave their dwellings,” Bishop Constantine (Kayal) of Zabadani stressed in 2015, explaining the dire situation the monastery was facing at that time.
