Aleppo, Syria, Aug 11, 2016 / 05:01 am
As rebel factions continue to fight Syria's Assad government for control of Aleppo, Syria's largest city, Christians in the metropolis are praying and fasting for peace to come to their homes.
"We don't know what's going to happen. We announced to all the priests , since yesterday, and we've also told the people, that we want to fast and pray the next 72 hours so that the will for peace always prevails and so that it wins over the will for war," Father Ibrahim, a pastor in Aleppo, told Vatican Radio Aug. 9.
Rebels in the city claim to have broken government siege of Aleppo, where some 250,000 people live in rebel-held areas. Air strikes on rebel positions in the city have intensified in recent days.
Fr. Ibrahim said the situation is very difficult "because the bombardments, which are are intensified at night, continue, but there are also missiles falling on the western side of the city, where we're living."