 31 Ottobre 2021NEWSFLASH ANTIOCH: OCTOBER 2021
October 4th.The Feast of St. Francis in Antioch celebrated with a liturgy of the Word. Also participating is Deacon Nicola-Dincer who is from our community and incardinated in the diocese of Smyrna (Izmir) . We finish with kunife, a typical local dessert.
October 5th. Two indians capuchins fathers, Jawahar Jerry and Royston D’Souza, who come to strengthen our presence here in Turkey. For the first year they will study the language to help them to integrate better.
October 8th. The President of the Christian and Jewish foundations of Turkey visits our church. He is a Syriac from the Yesilkoy community (Istanbul). He is accompanied by the General Secretary , an Armenian, also from Istanbul and by the President of the Foundation of the Catholic Church of Antioch (in red).
October 10th. Iman Muzzafer of the neighbouring mosque dies suddenly . He was very well- liked and sociable. On the third day I take part, with several imams, in the commemoration (mevlut) near his home.
October 12th. A group of 18 from Washington USA led by 2 Franciscans.
October 14th. Two Korean Franciscans: Domenico and Alexy are staying in our Guest House.
October 17th. Emile Alaca, a Syrian refugee, dies due to Covid-19. He is the second person from our Catholic community to die from it . He was 94 years old and besides being a fervent
Franciscan had been the head of the TOF in Aleppo. On Sundays he proclaimed the gospel in Arabic after the proclamation in Turkish. I attach the WhatsApp funeral invitation :
-Today at 4 pm in the Orthodox Church we will take our last farewell of dear Emile Alaca who proclaimed the Gospel in Arabic every Sunday in the Catholic Church. Among other things, he was a very fervent Franciscan. He was loved and respected by everyone and we will miss him very much. We pray for his soul, for his wife Teresa, his children and grandchildren. After Eli Bitargil a second brother leaves us for the Father's House! Eternal rest be unto him and to all our dead. Our deepest condolences to the family with our prayers and our affection. This photo, taken last July 6th at his granddaughter Emilia’s First Communion, shows him with his whole family.
October 19th. Two officials from the US Consulate in Adana visit our church and ask for information on the situation of Christians in Antioch.
October 24th. Today sees the end of the 4 days of convivance beginning the year of the Neocatechumenal Way of Antakya which was led by the Italian itinerant catechists, Fr Valeriano, Simona, and Filippo a Seminarian from the Seminary of Pinerolo-TO. Br. Hanry Leylek acted as an interpreter with great professionalism and for free. Several of the participants were his childhood friends.
We were able to meet in the garden as the weather was still summery. Then there were another 3 days of community meetings. Now we have 2 communities having joined the second with the third. It was truly providential after a year and a half of stagnation imposed by Covid-19!
October 25th. After 40 years, an ophthalmologist, Aydin, comes to see me with his wife Hatice. In Izmir, I helped him, when he was still a high school student, to take his first steps towards meeting the Lord ...
October 26th. The temporary Iman of the nearby mosque comes to visit me. He is a native of Hatay. He is still studying and has a few words ...
October 26th. Fr Francis has the operation on his intestines. He will have at least 3 weeks recuperation to get back on his feet if all goes to plan. We send him best wishes for a speedy recovery!
October 27th. The traditional blessing and lunch at the Hatex textile factory together with Orthodox priests. The owners are Christians. They also have a wine-factory which produces an excellent wine, ANTIOCHE.
October 29th. The 98th Anniversary of the Founding of the Turkish Republic. In the prefecture garden, refreshments are offered to the city authorities. I too am among the guests along with the Orthodox Abuna. In the photograph I am with the prefect, the commissioner and the military commander of Hatay.
October 31st. The end of a fairly full month. There is no respite from Covid-19. Despite 74% of people being vaccinated, cases are increasing. The only thing to do is to follow the hygiene rules suggested by the public authorities. The headline in the local newspaper a few days ago: Daily infections in Hatay are 500-600 ...
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