From Jabal al-Arab to Jerusalem: Spiritual solidarity beyond borders for Suwayda

SUWAYDA, Syria — During last Saturday’s Divine Liturgy, Archbishop Antonius Saad, Archbishop of Bosra, Hauran, and Jabal al-Arab for the Greek (Rûm) Orthodox Church, delivered a moving sermon recalling the deep spiritual and historical roots of Jabal al-Arab. The archbishop likened Christ’s ascent of Mount Tabor to the harsh siege and difficult circumstances the people of the region are currently enduring, urging them to transform this forced suffering into a “spiritual oasis” and to rise in the light of Christ toward true contemplation. 

Archbishop Saad referenced passages from the Psalms, recalling mentions of “Sihon king of the Amorites” and “Og king of Bashan” along with other kingdoms of Canaan, emphasizing that this land belongs to the Old Testament covenant and has been, throughout the ages, a stage for sacrifices and the worship of God on its hills. The archbishop saw in Jabal al-Arab, despite the siege, a place for encountering God, just as the Lord revealed Himself to His disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration. 

    In a remarkable parallel between geography and spirituality, on July 19, 2025, a special prayer service was held in Jerusalem at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre by Christians from the Holy Land. They prayed for the Christians and Druze of Suwayda and throughout Syria, and for all those who have been martyred defending their faith. 

The prayers expressed solidarity with all the oppressed in Syria, asking God to grant them hope and strength in facing injustice and to make the blood of the martyrs a source of peace. 

Thus, voices from Jabal al-Arab and Jerusalem united in a spiritual moment that transcended borders, as a sacred bond stretched between the altar in Suwayda and the altar of the Holy Sepulchre, carrying a steadfast message of hope: that faith—even amid the fiercest storms—can transform pain into light and siege into an inner space of freedom.