PHOTO: The Church of Saint Simeon Stylites after Thursday’s airstrikes (Taha Alhlo)
Pro-Assad airstrikes have damaged one of Syria’s oldest religious buildings, the Church of Saint Simeon Stylites in Aleppo Province.
The 5th-century church, in the village of Daret Azza, was dedicated to St Simeon because of his decades of devotion and prayer. He is said to have have spent 47 years in contemplation atop a pillar, which was also damaged on Thursday.
Reports differed on whether Russian or regime warplanes carried out the attack. Both the Russian and Syrian air forces have been bombarding opposition-held areas of Aleppo Province despite a February 27 “cessation of hostilities”.
The church and monastery, northwest of Aleppo city, have been tourist attractions for centuries and were listed as a World Heritage Site in 2011. The area has been contested by rebels, the Free Syrian Army, and the Kurdish militia YPG, but the rebel faction Ahrar al-Sham is currently in control.
St Simeon climbed his pillar in AD 412 to escape disciples and onlookers who came to see him after reports of his ascetic lifestyle. He once fasted with no food or water through the 40 days of Lent; on another occasion, he stood absolutely still until he collapsed.
تقرير عن #قلعة_سمعان الأثرية بعد أستهدفها من قبل طيران #الإحتلال_الروسي@taha_alhlo: تصوير @alzrkawe111: مونتاج
— Taha Alhlo (@taha_alhlo) May 15, 2016
The site after the attack (Taha Alhlo)
The church and pillar before the attack (Alamy)
