Syria's foreign minister said this week that a new government would take over next month from an interim cabinet that was formed following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad. France24.com reported Asaad al-Shaibani as saying that the new government would represent all Syrians in their diversity.
That’s been the hope of many Syrians since the fall of the al-Assad regime two months ago, but especially minorities, such as the country’s Christians.
Franciscan Fr. Bahjat Karakach serves as a parish priest at the Church of St. Francis in his native Aleppo, Syria. In an interview with Aleteia on February 11, Fr. Karakach expressed a cautious hope for the future of his country and said that Christians definitely have a role to play in rebuilding society after more than a dozen years of civil war.
Fr. Karakach encourages young Syrian Christians to stay and help in that project, rather than flee from an uncertain future.
While the situation varies throughout Syria, with worrying signs of Christian persecution in some locales, Aleppo has not seen such attacks, he said.
This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Fr. Bahjat, a recent interview with Archbishop Jacques Mourad of Homs, Syria, presented a pretty dark picture and warned of an uncertain future for Christians in Syria. Archbishop Mourad, who as a monk had been kidnapped by the Islamic State group in 2015, spoke of “young Christians being threatened and tortured in the streets in front of everyone, in order to instill fear and force them to renounce their faith and become Muslims.” Have you witnessed anything like this? How are things going, in your view?
Fr. Bahjat Karakach: The situation in Syria is not homogeneous, as each region faces its own challenges. It seems that what Archbishop Mourad described reflects the great challenges facing Christian communities in certain areas, where individuals are subjected to persecution and discrimination because of their beliefs. We have not witnessed this here in Aleppo, despite the spread of some manifestations of religious extremism. Of course, the threat and torture of young people to deter them from their faith is extremely alarming, and if true, it indicates a deterioration in human rights and religious freedoms.
In any case, we understand that much of what happens today on the ground does not necessarily reflect the decisions of the higher authorities, or at least does not reflect the tolerant discourse they have maintained since coming to power in the country. What we hope for is that these statements of tolerance are translated into reality.
Recently, Vatican Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, visited Syria on behalf of Pope Francis. What was the reason for the visit? What must the Vatican consider now, with the old regime gone?
Fr. Karakach: Pope Francis entrusted Cardinal Gugerotti with traveling to Syria to bring his blessing to the Christians of this country. The Holy Father wants us, considering the current situation, to feel the love and support of the entire Catholic Church, and especially his personal love and support.
Cardinal Gugerotti reminded us that the Church in this land has made a fundamental contribution to the development of culture and society in the region since the early centuries and urged us to continue contributing to the rebuilding of a peaceful and prosperous country for all its components, with respect for freedom, human dignity, and diversity, starting with the drafting of a new constitution. He assured us that the Catholic Church will make every effort to support the rebirth of Syria by all possible means.
We had the honor of hosting him at our Franciscan monastery during his stay in Aleppo. On the evening of Sunday, January 26, he presided over the Holy Mass in our church and expressed his joy at being in Aleppo, which he described as a "jewel of the Christian presence" in Syria.
How are people in your flock doing now? Are they able to live a decent, peaceful life? Are they still worried? Are more people determined to emigrate?
Fr. Karakach: At the parish level, since the early days of the fall of the old regime, we invited young people to a gathering aimed at encouraging and supporting them. We were surprised by the attendance of about 400 people, all thirsty for words of comfort and guidance. We insisted on the fact that we must not allow fear to paralyze us, but rather, we must raise our hands and do something for our city, promoting initiatives in the streets for the benefit of the entire community.
For example, in a proactive step towards strengthening unity, the youth organized volunteer campaigns to clean the monastery, starting with the church, and planned to expand their efforts to the local community. They cleaned the city streets by collecting waste and tidying up the sidewalks and public gardens. After the success of the cleaning campaign, the youth decided to broaden their efforts to beautify a local park.
From discussions we've had with youth, we noticed how confused and uncertain people are. So, we tried to calm and encourage them, assuring them that the answers to the questions that worry them will not come by staying at home, but by going out into the field to do good. This was the most important message we tried to convey to the young people who were asking themselves a thousand questions about the future:
"What will happen to our university degrees that we have studied for years to obtain?"
"What will the military service situation be like?"
"What should we do if things don’t go well — should we stay or leave?"
In reality, no one can answer these questions … but one thing is certain: We are in a transitional phase that affects all of Syria, and this is a period of labor pains. We must not stand idly by but must do all we can to contribute to the rebuilding of our country.
What is the overall state of the country now? It seems far from unified. What do you think will happen, and what are the prospects for Syria’s future?
Fr. Karakach: It can be said that the prevailing feeling is that we are in a temporary phase, waiting for March 1, which marks the end of the term of the current interim government — a government with a clear Islamic identity — so that a transitional government can be formed to lead Syria into democratic elections after drafting a new constitution.
Considering this crucial event, many Syrians have mobilized to contribute according to their political vision. We as Christians have also held study meetings, made proposals, and drafted a document to present to the constitutional committee. The most prominent points in the proposals include the establishment of a democratic and civil state where all citizens enjoy the same rights and duties.
We recognize that finding a formula that satisfies everyone will not be easy, as Syria is a highly diverse country, and the risk of forming a single-color Islamic government that excludes others remains. This scenario poses a serious risk of either a new dictatorship or intense instability in the country. However, we will not give up and are relying, first and foremost, on many enlightened Syrians who want a civil and democratic state, hoping that the international community will help these movements have a say in the matter.
Regarding daily life, it is not easy to paint a single picture of the country, as everything currently depends on the presence of heterogeneous law enforcement forces. The current government relies primarily on forces from Idlib [the Syrian province governed by opposition group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham before it deposed al-Assad], which are not sufficient to govern a large area. Some services have been suspended, while others are functioning well.
Christians remain confused by everything that is happening. Various signs of Islamization in the country have begun to appear. For example, public prayers were held in lecture halls at the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Damascus; some checkpoints explicitly ask Christian women to wear the hijab and drivers to remove any Christian religious symbols; many voices are calling for gender segregation in public spaces, and so on.
On the other hand, there are signs of hope, such as a group of young Muslims standing in front of churches distributing flowers to Christians entering, with a note on the flower saying: "Together, we can rebuild our country."
Many signs fill us with hope and confirm what we have always trusted — the Syrian people, who form a unique fabric of brotherhood and peaceful coexistence and who have a strong will to move forward towards peace and prosperity. We are called to highlight these signs of goodness because they are the most important capital that will form the foundation for Syria’s reconstruction. This is a time of great change and upheaval … Let us pray that it leads us to better times.
