Cardinal Zenari: Hope is dying in Syria as people just want to escape

By Salvatore Cernuzio

“Hope is dead” in Syria, and people only want to “flee”, after 14 years of conflict, extreme poverty, international sanctions, earthquake and a new wave of violence, according to the Cardinal Mario Zenari.

The Italian-born cardinal has been apostolic nuncio in Syria for more than 16 years.

Speaking to Vatican News, Cardinal Zenari expressed his deep concern over the November 30 capture of Aleppo.

Syria’s second-largest city is, for the first time, completely out of the control of the Syrian government and in the hands of jihadist rebels.

More than 350 people have died, and thousands have already been displaced – a number expected to rise, Cardinal Zenari said, adding that Syria faces a new emergency and another war.

Despite the grim situation facing Syrians, the Cardinal expressed hope that the Jubilee of Hope could bring a “breath of fresh air”, even as Syrians are exhausted and struggling to envision a future.

The following is a transcription of the interview with Cardinal Zenari:

Q: Your Eminence, there seems to be no peace in Syria.

Unfortunately, Syria had not been mentioned in the news for about three years: it had disappeared from the media radar. Today, she returns to the headlines with these tragic events.

I am in contact with the Christian communities, bishops, priests and religious of Aleppo to follow the evolution of the situation. In some regions, there is a certain calm, although suspicious.

There is also a lot of fear. Government offices have disappeared, the army is nowhere to be found and armed groups roam, having promised not to target civilians. So far, they appear to have kept that promise, but people remain fearful and cooped up in their homes.

A few days ago, those who could quickly left by car for other parts of Syria. We will see what happens in the coming days; we hope this is not the worst.

Q: On Sunday, the Franciscan College of the Holy Land was bombed, but fortunately there were no casualties. You talked about reassuring measures regarding the safety of civilians, but are people still in danger?

We will see in the coming days. Everything remains very uncertain; anxiety, fear and insecurity predominate.

The bishops assured their faithful that they would remain in Aleppo, as did the priests and religious, alongside their people. This is a very uncertain and difficult time.

Q: Are you worried that violence will spread from Aleppo to other cities?

It’s difficult to predict. Just as the capture of Aleppo by armed groups a few days ago surprised not only the residents of Aleppo but all Syrians, we cannot predict what the future holds for this region or for Syria in general .

Life is filled with uncertainty. Furthermore, the entire Middle East is on fire and the geopolitical cards have been reshuffled.

Q: What does this mean for young people? Will this trigger a new wave of emigration?

Certainly. The number of internally displaced people has already increased and continues to increase, with many arriving here in Damascus and other coastal areas.

Around 7 million people are internally displaced – a worrying number that is only set to increase, as is the number of refugees.

Remember that among the refugees in neighboring countries, there are around 6 million Syrians.

Between internally and externally displaced people, Syria holds the tragic record of around 13 million refugees, more than half its population. This number is inevitably increasing.

The population, especially the youth, has lost hope in the future of the country. There is no sign of reconstruction, no economic recovery, no work – so the only desire is to leave.

Q: Advent began on Sunday and the universal Church is preparing for the Jubilee. How will Syrian Christians experience this period?

Sadly, hope is dead, dying, or in some cases already buried.

We hope that this jubilee, with the theme “Pilgrims of Hope”, will offer a breath of fresh air to people who have suffered from war, hunger and unemployment for 14 years.

This is the reality… The only wish of the population, as I mentioned, is to escape. With these latest events in Aleppo, this desire to emigrate has only grown.

Q: Is there a message you would like to convey to the international community?

To the international community, I would say that it is essential to help resolve conflicts, but that prevention must take precedence.

Some recent global conflicts were predictable: action should have been taken sooner. In the Middle East, in Ukraine…

I insist on the importance of preventing wars, of acting in advance. Otherwise, we find ourselves trying to fix the broken pieces when everything is already broken.