Syria: IS destroys ancient monastery, relics of saint

image: infocatholique.be

IS/Daish militants have bulldozed the ancient monastery of Mar Elian in al-Qaryatayn, a town in the central Syrian province of Homs. Photos on IS social media sites show militants destroying the building, which dated back to 5th century AD. One image shows the desecration of the church. Another shows the desecration of the tomb of Saint Elian.

The town of al-Qaryatayn, is at a strategic crossroads in the central province of Homs. Earlier this month, IS fighters seized it from forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. According to the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, (SOHR), IS has captured most of the Christians in the town - around 250 men, women and children.

Mgr Mario Zenari, Apostolic Nuncio in Syria, said: "News about the fate of the Christian families is sketchy... They are probably held for different reasons, perhaps as human shields or something else. The only thing that is certain is that they are in their hands. The situation is messy and the various factions are still fighting each other."

The fate of Fr Jacques Mourad, a Syrian Christian priest who was prior at the monastery, is still unknown. He was captured last May. At the time of his abduction, he was helping hundreds of Muslim and Christian refugees fleeing from Palmira after IS seized the city.

Saint Elian,was a native of Homs, who was martyred by the Romans for his refusal to renounce Christianity in 284AD. St Elian was a physician and various miracles of healing are attributed to him.

The church was founded in 432AD on the place where St Elian is said to have been martyred. His remains were kept in a sarcophagus in a small chapel to the right of the church's main crypt. In 1969-70, Mar Elian monastery was renovated. During the restoration work, plaster which covered the inner walls of the church crypt was removed, revealing ancient frescoes depicting murals of Jesus, Mary, the Apostles, and various prophets. Some dated to the 12th century, but others were thought to be 6th century works, making them the oldest surviving church paintings in Syria.

Sources: SOHR/AN/ICN