Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Jerusalem (Agenzia Fides) The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Fouad Twal emphasizes the urgency to increase aid to Syrian refugees, at a time when even the weather conditions contribute to making their condition even more difficult. His Beatitude Twal "calls for the generosity of all to support the refugee victims of a conflict which has exceeded 1,000 days and of the material hardships affecting their lives".
Following a period of drought and the month of November "the hottest in 60 years, the religious leaders of the three monotheistic religions in the Holy Land called on their followers to pray for rain. As rain came in early December, it is a blessing for both the land and its people. However, this rainfall, because of its sudden intensity, brought challenges. A snow storm hit the Middle East during these last few days of 2013, covering several countries, including Jordan, Lebanon, Israel and Palestine". In these days of harsh cold, there remains the alarming condition of the Syrian refugees who number close to 2 million displaced in Lebanon and Jordan. (GV) (Agenzia Fides 16/12/2013)
