Offsite Post: ‘Help and Consolation for Syria’

 

Any country that disobeys the dictates of the Western powers is slated for retribution.  Syria has lived this reality for nearly a dozen years now, as mercenaries, resource theft, air bombardment, and sanctions have all been deployed against her for refusing to comply with the West’s Arab Spring destabilization campaign across the Middle East and North Africa.

The sanctions against Syria have been particularly harsh and inhuman, not to mention ineffective at bringing about their main goal of regime change, all of which, thankfully, more and more people in the US are willing to point out, particularly after the recent catastrophic earthquake on the Turkish-Syrian border.

But here it is well to point out that the Syrian people are not walking this very difficult path alone.  They have unseen helpers around them, holy saints who voluntarily lived lives of hardship for the sake of their love for God and their desire to be united with Him.  They have not forsaken their brothers and sisters in Syria, nor will they.  But who are these hidden helpers?  They are wilderness hermits who lived without roofs over their heads, relying on the Holy Trinity alone to protect and sustain them.  Let us have a look at a few of their number who are closely joined together:

St Thalassius:

‘Saint Thalassius of Syria lived during the fifth century. At a young age he withdrew to a hill near the village of Targala and passed 38 years there in monastic deeds, having neither a roof over his head, nor any cell nor shelter.

‘For his simple disposition, gentleness and humility he was granted by the Lord the gift of wonderworking and healing the sick. Many wanted to live under his guidance, and the saint did not refuse those coming to him. He himself built cells for them. He died peacefully, granted rest from his labors.’

St Limnaeus:

‘Saint Limnaeus began his efforts under the guidance of Saint Thalassius and dwelt with him for a sufficient time to acquire the virtues of his teacher: simplicity of manner, gentleness and humility. Then Saint Limnaeus joined Saint Maron (February 14).

‘On a hill he built a small stone enclosure without a roof, and through a small aperture, he conversed with those who came to see him. His heart was full of compassion for people. Wanting to help all the destitute, he built a wanderers’ home on the hillside with the help of his admirers, a dwelling for the poor and the crippled, and he fed them with what pious people brought him.

‘The holy ascetic even sacrificed his own quiet and solitude for these poor brethren, and took upon himself the responsibility for for their spiritual nourishment, inducing them to pray and glorify the Lord. For his holy life he was granted the gift of wonderworking. He once cured himself of a snakebite through prayer.’

 . . .

The rest may be read here

https://www.geopolitika.ru/en/article/help-and-consolation-syria

And also here:

https://katehon.com/en/article/help-and-consolation-syria

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Holy Ælfred the Great, King of England, South Patron, pray for us sinners at the Souð, unworthy though we are!

Anathema to the Union!