Who would believe that the region now known as Turkey has more Catholic saints than most other countries of the world? While Turkey is not a Christian nation now, its past is rich with holy […]
Bassel Habkouk is reunited with his two children after being trapped for 52 hours after the devastating Feb. 6, 2023, earthquake in Turkey and Syria. / Photo courtesy of Bassel Habkouk
CNA Newsroom, Mar 1, 2023 / 10:15 am (CNA).
Only a few hour… […]
A pedestrian uses a smartphone as she walks past a collapsed building in Antakya, southern Turkey on Feb. 21, 2023. A 6.4-magnitude earthquake late Feb. 20, 2023, rocked Turkey’s southern province of Hatay and northern Syria. / Photo by SAMEER AL-DOUMY/AFP via Getty Images
ACI Prensa Staff, Feb 21, 2023 / 11:35 am (CNA).
Antoine Chahda, the Syrian Catholic archbishop of Aleppo, Syria, asked for prayers after a new 6.4-magnitude earthquake shook Turkey and Syria on Feb. 20.
In a statement to ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, after the earthquake Chahda encouraged prayers “for us because all the people are out on the streets, the whole city. It was horrible, very terrible, we’re all trembling.”
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake occurred three kilometers (about two miles) southwest of Uzunbağ, Turkey, near the Syrian border, at 8:04 p.m. local time.
This was one of the most intense of the thousands of aftershocks that have followed the Feb. 6 earthquake, which to date has claimed more than 47,000 lives and more than 122,000 injuries in the border region.
The Syrian Catholic archbishop of Aleppo said that “so far, no buildings have collapsed, the cathedral is okay. But tomorrow, when the sun rises, we will see what will happen.”
“People are out on the street. We’re okay. There seem to be no injuries in Aleppo. We won’t know until tomorrow,” the prelate commented.
The archbishop said that “for now we are receiving people who like to come to the cathedral. It’s full of people, just like the street.”
“We don’t know what will happen,” he added. “Only God knows. Pray for us.”
Father Esteban Dumont, who lives in Tarsus, Turkey, about 135 miles by air from Aleppo, said “We’re okay. It felt strong, but we didn’t suffer any damage.”
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
Pope Francis greets the crowd at his Angelus address on Feb. 19, 2023. / Vatican Media
Vatican City, Feb 19, 2023 / 06:30 am (CNA).
Instead of acting out of self-interest or convenience, the Lord challenges us to love others in excess “without … […]
Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti with Pope Francis / Vatican Media
Vatican City, Feb 16, 2023 / 11:55 am (CNA).
A Vatican archbishop will visit Catholics in Syria and Turkey as they continue to help those affected by the result of multiple devastat… […]
Pope Francis at his Angelus address on Jan. 29, 2023. / Vatican Media
Rome Newsroom, Feb 15, 2023 / 05:15 am (CNA).
The Vatican is joining the Italian government and NGOs in sending help to the suffering people of Turkey and Syria.According to … […]
Pope Francis delivers the Angelus address on Feb. 12, 2023. / Vatican Media
Vatican City, Feb 12, 2023 / 06:10 am (CNA).
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Greek Catholic priest Father Fadi Najjar, who serves in Aleppo, Syria, appealed for prayers as his community faced the death and devastation after an earthquake struck Syria and Turkey on Feb. 6, 2023. / Credit: AVAN
ACI Prensa Staff, Feb 10, 2… […]
Pope Francis prayed for victims of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria during his general audience on Feb. 8, 2023. / Daniel Ibanez/CNA
Vatican City, Feb 8, 2023 / 02:56 am (CNA).
Pope Francis concluded his public audience on Wednesday with a pr… […]
Image of the Virgin Mary in the rubble of the Cathedral of Alexandria in Turkey, Feb. 6, 2023. / Credit: Facebook Antuan Ilgit SJ
CNA Newsroom, Feb 7, 2023 / 14:20 pm (CNA).
A statue of the Virgin Mary was untouched after the collapse of a Cath… […]
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