"Dear friends of the Salesian Family, benefactors, and friends of Don Bosco, greetings from the city of Aleppo, which is once again enduring a very challenging and harsh period due to renewed fighting in the city," begins Salesian Fr. Pier Jabloyan, Rector of the local Salesian community and Delegate for Social Communication of the "Jesus the Adolescent" Middle East Province (MOR), in a video recorded on Sunday, December 1, 2024.
"Thank you for the many messages of support, affection, and solidarity we have received. Many of you are also asking for updates on the Salesian presence in the city. First of all, let me assure you that we are here, staying close to the young, close to families, and close to those in need. Like many other congregations and local churches trying to assist as much as they can, we too are doing what is possible for so many in difficulty, especially considering that the current situation has caught us by surprise," he continues.
Fr. Jabloyan recounts recent events:
"On Thursday, November 28, various opposition military groups entered the city, which then fell into their hands. This created a lot of doubt, fear, and a climate of anxiety for our young people. Many families are living in uncertainty and doubt. The city is now closed—no one enters, no one leaves. Several people tried to escape, but only a few managed to do so with great difficulty and at great risk. Some families took over 35 hours to get out of the city."
"The difficulties we face are those of a war zone: lack of food and water," he explains. "Some parts of the water system are no longer functional, which means the city is left without water. We hope this issue will be resolved in the coming days."
Despite limited resources, the Salesians are doing their best:
“Together with other young people, we are trying to help families in difficulty, reaching places where we can offer assistance, even if it is just a little. With such scarcity, we cannot do much, but we can be present, encourage them, and listen to them—things they need so much, especially since this situation took us all by surprise.”
In the midst of this adversity, the Salesians share a message of hope:
"On this First Sunday of Advent, I want to convey a message of hope, especially as we are called to live this Year of Hope. Today’s Gospel spoke about the events of the end times: challenges, signs, wars... Perhaps we are tasting some of this now. But at the same time, the source of hope lies in the Lord's words, where He tells us not to fall into ‘drunkenness’—meaning not to lose ourselves in worldly distractions. It’s true that we are living through a very difficult period, but this should not divert our eyes from the ultimate goal, which is the Lord Jesus."
This hope is evident in the daily lives of the Salesians and their youth. Fr. Jabloyan shares:
"Today, we celebrated Mass online, as we did during the COVID period, because many of our young people cannot leave their homes due to the daily curfew. We spoke about how the Lord Jesus gives meaning to our lives. As children of Don Bosco, who lived as though seeing the invisible, we too strive to see Jesus in every action and to perceive His presence even in these challenging times."
He concludes his message with a heartfelt request and farewell:
"I greet you on behalf of all my confreres in the community and across the Middle East Province. We ask for your prayers and remembrance. We hope to meet you one day! A big hug to everyone, goodbye!"
The video message from Fr. Jabloyan, SDB, is available in the original Italian here.
