Moscow (AsiaNews) - The Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society, one of Russia's oldest international organisations, plans to collect aid for the people of Syria between 31 March and 10 April at four different locations in Moscow. The items collected will be delivered by 17 April, Syria's Independence Day, the Interfax news agency reported.
The Russian Committee for Solidarity with the people of Libya and Syria and the Russian Orthodox Church are behind the initiative. Collection points have been set up at Saints Martha and Mary Convent and the Novospassky Monastery. Items can also be brought to the Volunteer Programme Centre of the Russian Orthodox University and the Municipal Youth and Family Department.
Food (flour, sugar, salt, biscuits), drugs (antibiotics and anaesthetic) and medical equipment (defibrillators, oxygen inhalers, neonatal incubators and stretchers) top the list of items in demand. Baby food, personal care products as well as school material are also welcome.
The idea of providing private assistance came a week after Kirill, patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, met Georghi, metropolitan of Homs, on 21 March.
On that occasion, the two religious leaders discussed, among other issues, humanitarian aid for Syrian civilians. Homs, which comes under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Antioch, is one of the cities most affected by Syria's civil war.
At the same meeting, Kirill praised the metropolitan for his heroism since he has pursued his pastoral work at the risk of his own life at a time when "churches are destroyed and Christians are forced to flee the country."
"There can be no a Middle East, as we know it, without Christians," Kirill said. "For this reason," he told Metropolitan Georghi, "I wish to express to you our feelings of brotherly love and warm support and our readiness to support your people in words and deeds." (N.A.)
