03:25Worshippers gathered to pray at the St. Ephrem the Syrian Cathedral in Aleppo on Sunday as the church reopened its doors for the first time in 11 months since undergoing reconstruction following Syria's February 2023 earthquake.
Footage shows the Patriarch of Syriac Orthodox Church and entire East and Head of Syriac Orthodox Church in the world, Mar Ignatius Ephrem II, leading the prayer and reopening ceremony. Worshippers can be seen praying and celebrating the church's reopening.
"Following the earthquake, cracks appeared on the dressed stone and soft concrete walls of the church. Upon uncovering the dressed stones, we found the original Aleppo white stone beautifully aligned," explained Engineer Fathi Hayek.
"We decided to remove the soft concrete and the stone cladding in order to restore the walls to its original state before the previous restorations," he continued.
On February 6, 2023, a severe earthquake hit the northern region of Syria and southern Turkey, causing significant destruction to various cities and historical sites in both nations. The earthquake caused the loss of thousands of lives. Currently, ongoing efforts are underway to reconstruct and rehabilitate the damaged areas.
St. Ephrem the Syrian Cathedral reopens in Aleppo following earthquake damage restorations
Worshippers gathered to pray at the St. Ephrem the Syrian Cathedral in Aleppo on Sunday as the church reopened its doors for the first time in 11 months since undergoing reconstruction following Syria's February 2023 earthquake.
Footage shows the Patriarch of Syriac Orthodox Church and entire East and Head of Syriac Orthodox Church in the world, Mar Ignatius Ephrem II, leading the prayer and reopening ceremony. Worshippers can be seen praying and celebrating the church's reopening.
"Following the earthquake, cracks appeared on the dressed stone and soft concrete walls of the church. Upon uncovering the dressed stones, we found the original Aleppo white stone beautifully aligned," explained Engineer Fathi Hayek.
"We decided to remove the soft concrete and the stone cladding in order to restore the walls to its original state before the previous restorations," he continued.
On February 6, 2023, a severe earthquake hit the northern region of Syria and southern Turkey, causing significant destruction to various cities and historical sites in both nations. The earthquake caused the loss of thousands of lives. Currently, ongoing efforts are underway to reconstruct and rehabilitate the damaged areas.
Worshippers gathered to pray at the St. Ephrem the Syrian Cathedral in Aleppo on Sunday as the church reopened its doors for the first time in 11 months since undergoing reconstruction following Syria's February 2023 earthquake.
Footage shows the Patriarch of Syriac Orthodox Church and entire East and Head of Syriac Orthodox Church in the world, Mar Ignatius Ephrem II, leading the prayer and reopening ceremony. Worshippers can be seen praying and celebrating the church's reopening.
"Following the earthquake, cracks appeared on the dressed stone and soft concrete walls of the church. Upon uncovering the dressed stones, we found the original Aleppo white stone beautifully aligned," explained Engineer Fathi Hayek.
"We decided to remove the soft concrete and the stone cladding in order to restore the walls to its original state before the previous restorations," he continued.
On February 6, 2023, a severe earthquake hit the northern region of Syria and southern Turkey, causing significant destruction to various cities and historical sites in both nations. The earthquake caused the loss of thousands of lives. Currently, ongoing efforts are underway to reconstruct and rehabilitate the damaged areas.