The Metropolitan of Latakia and Dependent Areas, Mr. Athanasios, experienced firsthand the massacre of Alawites and Christians by the so-called transitional president, Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa, in the western regions of Syria. “We spent five very difficult days. There were massacres, they burned houses, they killed young children and women,” he said to Kathimerini.
Member of the European Parliament for SYRIZA, Nikolas Farantouris, a member of the European Parliament’s Committee on Security and Defense, said that over 7,000 Christians and Alawites had been slaughtered by the al-Sharaa regime now ruling in Syria.
Among the victims, the Metropolitan said, were Greek Orthodox Christians who lived in the same areas as the Alawites.
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“The fighting took place in the villages of Latakia, where Alawites coexist with Orthodox Christians. On the road outside the parish of Agia Varvara, four young people were killed,” he said, adding that he himself has received death threats.
He also lamented that Greece has forgotten them Antiochian Greek Orthodox of Syria.
“Greece is far from us. It’s been 14 years of war, of destruction, and now we have the massacres that took place and not a single phone call. Protestants came, Catholics came, and everyone except the Orthodox Greeks. What message are they sending us?” he questioned.
“They spent so many years in need, in hunger. The Greek Orthodox who live in Laodicea (Latakia) need doctors, they want food, and Greece hasn’t sent us a single euro,” the Metropolitan continued.
When asked about the massacres, Metropolitan Athanasios said that the new transitional regime killed people in the streets and in their homes.
“We were without electricity and water in the city for a week,” he explained. “The situation was very bad. Even now, there is a risk of people going to church. They murdered people aged 14 to 64 in their homes. They killed one on the balcony and another near our church.”
“Now,” the Metropolitan added, “we don’t know what will happen. Everyday, we have something new, and every day, we live with this situation. Now, the church of Agia Varvara will remain closed.”
“They murdered people aged 14 to 64 in their homes. They killed one on the balcony and another near our church,” he told Kathimerini.
60,000 Orthodox
“There are about 60,000 Orthodox Christians living in Latakia,” explained Metropolitan Athanasios, “with 10 churches in the city and 45 parishes in the surrounding villages. We hold our services, but they are dangerous. We live among fanatics. After the war, the extremist Muslims, the Turks, prevailed.”
When asked if he was thinking of leaving Syria, he said, “Of course not!”
“How are we going to leave our monasteries, our church? We have our people here. I will stay until the end. I will die here. But any of the citizens who can get a visa will leave,” he added.
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With weeks left until the Holy Week services, Greek Orthodox residents of the western regions of Syria report that the procession of the Epitaph on Easter has been banned.
We ask the metropolitan if there will be any restrictions on the doxastic services.
The Metropolitan explained that they have not yet been informed on what services will be allowed and what will not.
At the end of our conversation, we ask him about the needs of Hellenism in the region.
He also lamented that they have been abandoned by the Greek state and the Church.
“I understand that Greece wants Greeks and Hellenism to remain in Syria, but it has to do something serious about it. Erdogan is pouring money into the Muslims, and so are the Catholics. Even Jehovah’s Witnesses are coming to the region, and the Greek Orthodox have no money,” the Metropolitan stressed.
“Greece must send money, send us help, otherwise in ten years our parishes and schools will be closed,” he concluded.
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