aktualności karmelu Świat wróć

Letter from our nuns in Aleppo

As you can imagine, it was with great joy that the General Curia received a letter sent to Fr General on 21st December from our nuns in Aleppo. We published the complete letter in French and Spanish on our social networks on the 27th of the same month.

In it they expressed their appreciation of the closeness of their brothers and sisters who had sent them help and, above all, for the prayers by which they felt sustained in the midst of the terrible situation through which they had to live. It is moving to know from themselves that the tiniest prayer, the word of encouragement in which they sensed our closeness, our love, helped them to be able to live their community life better, surrounded by the war which has so cruelly scourged Aleppo.

United to the suffering people, for whom they interceded continually in their prayer and sharing in their suffering, they continued their fraternal life, overcoming all obstacles: Our sisters installed in the choir a new icon of Our Lady of Mount Carmel – a gift from the Carmelite nuns in Harissa, Lebanon – which was blessed by a Word Incarnate priest, delegated by the Bishop. They were able to take part with the Church and the Order in the happiness for the canonization of Elizabeth of the Trinity and the beatification of Fr Marie Eugene, as well as celebrating their annual retreat and even the feast day of the Prioress on the 13th and 14th of November.

In their letter, the sisters also shared with us the joy which has resulted from the liberation of the city for the people, subjected for so long to great suffering; although there is a strong contrast between the western and eastern parts of the city. At the time they were writing their letter, the people seemed happy, with song and dance decorating the western part of the city to celebrate Christmas, even among the ruins. To the east, however, the situation is rather more painful, with great difficulties in facing winter and, even if the city could be reconstructed, the wounds in the hearts of the people who suffered so much in the conflict, would remain open for a long time. May the Prince of Peace be able to heal them!, our sisters pray, pleading with us to join them in their trusting prayer.

za: carmelitaniscalzi.com