Скачать или смотреть Damascus church restores Christmas traditions months after attack

Christmas preparations at Mar Elias Church in Damascus continue despite lasting damage from a militant attack earlier this year. Greek Orthodox Christians in Syria are assembling Nativity displays at the historic church in the Douweila district while restoration work remains underway. The Nativity scene features miniature models inspired by the Grotto of the Nativity in Jerusalem, a Christmas tree, and a prayer area symbolizing the Virgin Mary during the birth of Jesus. Church visitors are lighting candles, praying, and taking photographs near the illuminated decorations. The preparations reflect a message of faith, peace, and continuity amid hardship. Mar Elias Church was targeted in June when ISIS carried out an attack that killed twenty five people and injured sixty others. Despite the violence and ongoing repairs, worshippers have returned to mark Christmas, underscoring the resilience of the Christian community in Damascus during a period of recovery and remembrance.
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