Posted on 08/09/2018 7:38:53 PM PDT by marshmallow
The Orthodox Monastery of St. Thekla in Maaloula, Syria has reopened its doors after the liberation of the city in the Damascus Province, reports Interfax-Religion.
The nuns, who had been forced to leave the monastery due to the war, have been able to return. “Everyone was very worried about the nuns; everyone really loves them. The parishioners are warmed by their spiritual warmth. I returned here from Damascus as soon as I heard that the area was freed from terrorists,” monastery chaplain Fr. Ilias Ades reports.
According to him, reconstruction work on the monastery is nearing completion.
“Maaloula has revived; the church has revived—look, see how many tourists we have! 90% of the reconstruction is already done. Syria is gradually becoming a peaceful country. How can you not but rejoice!” Fr. Ilias exclaimed.
Fr. Ilias says that the repairs will be completed within two weeks. “It remains to finish the repairs on the second and fourth floors and to install electricity so tourists and pilgrims will be able to stay here. Everything will be finished in two weeks,” he noted.
Maaloula was freed from militants in 2014, after which the restoration of the town and monastery began.
(Excerpt) Read more at orthochristian.com ...
Yeah, and you can thank that evil leader of Syria Assad (along with an assist from the even more evil Putin) for allowing this to happen. Assad, unlike the radical Muzzie terrorists who have been trying to overthrow his country, has always protected his country’s minority Christian religions. And Putin sees himself as the protector of Christianity in Russia, and throughout his corner of the world.
Its much easier to paint Putin as the villain that our elitist enemies the Dem leaders and Pub neocons want you to believe he is, as the neocons wallow in their old cold war mentalities while trying to suck us into yet another cold war now (see Lindsey Graham and John McCain as prime examples).
Things are starting to stabilize and McCain isn’t even gone yet.
The Russian Parliament voted to replace the bells that were stolen. Meanwhile, we vote for sanctions against Russia.
We’ve supported, and trained those destroying Syria. We’ve illegally invaded a sovereign nation. I have been hearing a lot of C-5’s over my house, so I guess Iran is next on the list.
God is not impressed with Russia’s faux holy-crusade and bells don’t help the matter.
I trust America under Trump to seek and pursue God’s will. Not Putin’s Russia.
I will take their “faux Holy Crusade” over the increasing approbation of Churches here performing gay weddings and such.
God is not impressed with Russia’s faux Holy Crusade, nor the Iranian regime and terrorist groups they’re allied with, nor the antics of the Turks. Nor for Nazi anti-Semite Assad’s use of Christians as human shields for his evil.
There is much blood on their hands. And bell replacements is no penance.
Average Russians who have been suffering from a tanking economy run by Putin’s kleptocratic oligarchs. Are not impressed either.
As of today:
“Fewer than 1 in 5 Russians support Putin’s foreign policy.”
https://themoscowtimes.com/news/fewer-than-1-in-5-russians-support-putins-foreign-policy-62482
And guess who Putin expects to pay for Syria’s reconstruction? Us. Pathetic.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-russia-syria-exclusive/exclusive-despite-tensions-russia-seeks-u-s-help-to-rebuild-syria-idUSKBN1KO2JP
Putin’s point man Ramzon Kadyrov of Chechnya, subjects gays to Sharia Law within Russia’s borders - meaning torture and death, is this favorable to you? You prefer Islamic law?
Sodomy is rampant in Russian jails in Eastern Ukraine and elsewhere.
And HIV/AIDS is on the upswing in Russia also. Over one million people infected in a population of 144 million. So what’s the deal?
*** I trust America under Trump to seek and pursue God’s will. ***
You do realize that it was probably not God’s Will to bomb 50 Yemeni School children in a bus yesterday, a task which our weapons, and advisors helped the Saudis accomplish yesterday?
The children’s crime? A field trip.
You may be right there regarding Yemen.
It still doesn’t change the fact that by earthly standards: as a country overall, we have the moral high ground over Russia.
I am not going to get involved in Soviet style “what-aboutisms.”
Soviets were fond of saying things like “and you lynch black people” as a way to tout the moral superiority of their system any time its abuses came into light.
I will disagree about our Country having the moral high ground when much of our foreign policy is not about moral authority, it is to benefit political agendas, as in bought and paid for politicians, and their financiers, or to benefit corporations that make beyond millions off deals, whether it is going after oil, natural resources, or selling weapons.
I campaigned, voted for, gave $$$ to support Trump, but I am beyond disappointed with his broken promises regarding the middle East, to include Syria, Afghanistan, the soon to be war on Iran,
His love affair with the KSA, and the Unholy Trinity of the US, KSA, and Israel..nope not on board with that agenda.
What do you propose we do instead?
Militants? No, terrorists.
Which can be mostly halted by requiring that all political donations be ANONYMOUS. You can't sell influence if you don't know who is buying. Americans should be permitted to donate any amount they choose to any candidate or party they wish; that is FREEDOM. But to purchase an outcome is BRIBERY, a crime.
Add TERM LIMITS and you will see only candidates who wish to SERVE rather than those who look to become fabulously wealthy RULERS.
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