Beirut, one week later: “In the eyes of the citizens the desire of rebirth”

Just over a week after the terrible explosions that destroyed Beirut, the update on the situation of Father Firas Lutfi, Franciscan Minister of the San Paolo Region, returning from a trip to visit the communities in Syria.

Beirut, one week later. We reach Father Firas Lutfi, Franciscan Minister of the San Paolo Region, who is still in Syria, where he had visited the communities and is now trying in every way to reach his confreres in Lebanon, but is stuck in Damascus waiting for the results of the COVID-19 swab. “The virus here,” he tells us, “is spreading quickly. We recently received news of the death of one of our brother in Aleppo and three others who have contracted the virus, unfortunately the situation is getting worse and worse”.

Meanwhile, from Beirut, updates arrive in real time from the confreres who have been working incessantly since the day after the explosion to free the premises of the destroyed convent and assist the community in its basic needs. From the very beginning,” he recounts, “the friars from all over Lebanon joined the friars of the friary affected to help in any way they could. But the most beautiful testimony comes from the young people and citizens of Beirut. As a friar told me yesterday, “in the faces and citizens of Beirut I see a great desire to leave again”.

In fact, there are many volunteers who in these days help everywhere and in any way to recover people and goods from under the rubble or in cleaning the streets. “There have been various demonstrations of people – Father Firas tells us again – because those responsible are being sought, demonstrations that led to the resignation of the government. But at the same time, no one stood still, the men and women of Beirut moved immediately for their city“. There is so much pain, for the hundreds of dead and wounded, most of whom will wear the signs of this tragedy for the rest of their lives and it will take a long time to rebuild, but Beirut wants to be reborn, reborn from below.

The intervention of the international community was also timely; in addition to sending personnel and basic necessities, there are many solidarity and fundraising initiatives that have arisen in a short time. Among these was our fundraising: in a week more than 50,000 euros were collected, which will be used to bring help to the community by distributing basic necessities and rebuilding the convent.

“Unfortunately the structure is very old – Father Firas tells us – and for the most part it is totally unusable at the moment. It is a very old building, the first theater in Beiurt; 200 years ago the first theater performance in the country was hosted here, so to carry out the work we had to contact experts in antiquities for evaluations and at the moment what we can do is little, just secure at least two rooms to accommodate the younger friars, so that at least they can stand next to the community”. The church of San Giuseppe, on the other hand, has suffered less damage and broken windows and doors are being quickly repaired and the room cleaned.

In the meantime, with the help of the young people, basic necessities are being procured for the families and the damage in the community is being assessed in order to understand where and how to intervene with the renovation and the costs.

Grateful for the precious and timely help from each one of you, we continue to raise funds so that we can provide as soon as possible for all the needs that will arise. We cannot abandon the Lebanese people who want to restart immediately.