Archbishop Audi: ‘After the August 4 explosion, they tried to convince residents to sell the houses they got from their ancestors’
‘They are trying to change the demographics of Beirut, we will not tolerate that!’
This interview is also available in Arabic.
On the first commemoration of the Beirut port explosion on August 4, 2020, the Communication and Public Relations Department of the Middle East Council of Churches published a special issue of its quarterly magazine “Al Muntada” in August 2021, entitled "Beirut, in the Heart of the Church, Beirut, a City of Resurrection". The issue includes an exclusive interview with Metropolitan of Beirut and its Dependencies of the Greek Orthodox HE Bishop Elias Audi. It focuses on the humanitarian and material damages caused to the Orthodox Church in Beirut, and on its role in helping its affected children and healing their wounds on many levels. As well as an interview with the Vice president of the Beirut Greek Orthodox Parish Financial Comity and Treasurer of Saint Porphyrios Association Mr. Khaled Tueini.
On his face, you can see Beirut. In his voice resonating every Sunday in St. George Cathedral in Beirut, you hear the voice of Beirut. Through his aching heart, and his saddened eyes ever since August 4 of last year, you can feel the pain of Beirut, gem of the Middle East, mourning in her black dress…
Far from his political opinion that disdains our irresponsible leaders, and his stance against corruption and the corrupted, Metropolitan of Beirut and its Dependencies of the Greek Orthodox HE Bishop Elias Audi said during the mass of commemoration of the blast victims:
“The Ghost of death is still haunting Beirut as we still live in the deadly unknown. One year has passed since the explosion, the truth is still concealed and there’s still no answer as to what had happened, is it a coincidence or is someone intentionally hiding the truth? Is the prosecution of the criminal this hard? How would the judge face the people while he is failing to do his job? And would he still hesitate if he didn’t have anything to fear? It is shameful for a person to intentionally fail at his duties.” He continues: “we hope that the prosecutor would continue his job with professionalism, honesty and courage, and that efforts would be poured into helping him uncover the truth. We hope that Lebanese judges would remember that they are primarily the voice of justice and conscience, a voice that resonates ever so loud. If the Lebanese court does not come to rule with justice, or is subjected to political pressure, we encourage and back victim families to seek an international investigation to sort the crime of the century.”
The brave Metropolitan with strong stances remembers the moments of the explosion, far from the political and prosecution conditions, and tells us how the Archdiocese stood by its people in this tragedy to bring back Beirut’s bright colors to life.
Bishop Audi was close to Al-Nahar news agency when the explosion happened, he was heading towards the Archdiocese in Ashrafieh, he says: “it was a horrific moment. The sound of the explosion alone put people, including us, in panic mode. Glass was falling around us, we didn’t know where to go or how to get out of this situation. We were lost like everyone else, with no way out. After some time and a lot of efforts, we arrived to the Archdiocese where we were greeted by the most terrible of sights. Walls were collapsed and there was destruction everywhere. The Deacon was with me so I asked him to find us a place where we could sleep. After looking everywhere, he comes back to tell me that there isn’t any. We decided to go to St George Hospital, but it was even worse. Patients were in the parking lot, and the medical staff was trying to send them to other hospitals away from all the destruction. My sister called to tell me she was at our brother’s house in Adma, so I went there to spend the night. In the morning, I came back to the Archdiocese. At night, I started blaming myself for leaving the Archdiocese so the next day I asked the men to get me a mattress so I can sleep there.”
The Bishop adds, smiling: “from the very first moment, the youth took upon themselves the rehabilitation of the Archdiocese and our damaged institutions. We prioritized 3 schools that needed to open their doors to students again, and 4 churches to host masses for believers again. The historical Ecole des Trois Docteurs was severely damaged. The school was built in the 19th century, it was the home of many writers and leaders, and it is a testimony of our presence here. Some call Ashrafieh the real capital. Zahret Al-Ihsan School and the Annunciation School were destroyed, and the students of the latter are in desperate need of help. We never stopped assisting them while at the same time rehabilitating our institutions. Residents’ houses were also our priority because some people tried to take advantage of the tragedy to change the demographics of Beirut, which we will not tolerate. We know who tried to convince residents to sell the houses they inherited from their parents and grandparents, especially in Gemmayzeh, Mar Mkhael, and Mdawar… These houses are precious to us and to their residents. One who sells such a house would be selling his soul and heritage. During two consecutive masses, I preached about it for ‘he who has ears, let him hear’. I told them that what they were doing was a crime. They were depriving people from the houses and properties of their ancestors. I told residents that whoever comes to you with pockets full of money has an empty and ugly conscience. If you take their offer, you will regret it. My heart filled with happiness when I heard that a lot of residents had already refused such offers and proudly declared on the media ‘My home is not for sale’, I wasn’t surprised for how much I sympathized with them.”
We ask the Bishop how they faced this twisted plan since many were impoverished and were forced to leave their homes following the blast.
His answer was reassuring and firm: “Our children are taking care of them. We formed two committees to take care of different relief plans. I am only telling you about the headlines, but you can get the details from the youth taking care of every need. I entrusted them to help every needy, vulnerable, or poor person who comes our way. As long as we are able to provide help we won’t stop, and we won’t ask for anyone else’s help.”
Khaled Tueini:
Beirut Blast, a Crippling Blow to Our Parishes
Before the Beirut Blast, Beirut Archdiocese had always taken care of the needy in the parish, down to every little detail. The church was already taking care of many families before the 17-October revolution helping them with medical needs, accommodation, schools and financial assistances, even if with small amounts.
Vice president of the Beirut Greek Orthodox Parish Financial Comity and Treasurer of Saint Porphyrios Association Mr. Khaled Tueini describes how the association alongside the Parish, presided by Metropolitan Elias Aoude, helped Beirut citizens post-blast, he says: “the Archdiocese took under her wing hundreds of families in need living in Beirut providing them with financial, food and medical assistances along with academic support for students in Orthodox churches in Beirut for the next 5 years. However, after the revolution started on the 17th of October 2019, people’s needs increased along with the worsening of the economic crisis. Therefore, the church doubled its efforts to provide as many assistances as possible”. He added: “the Parish owns three dispensaries located in Ras Beirut, Ashrafieh and Souq El Ghareb. They offer medical services for everyone without exception, including but not limited to providing medicines, free consultations and dental treatments, in addition to the Saint George Hospital University Medical Center offering free consultations. However, the 4-October 2020 Blast was a crippling blow like no other causing ripples of destruction no parish, church or association can fix alone. Tueini stated that some of the Archdiocese institutions witnessed damages estimated at more than 60 million American Dollars, like Saint George Hospital University Medical Center, VAP nursing home and center (Vieillir Avec Plaisir) taking care of the elderly and the Archdiocese suffering from deep cuts. The three Orthodox churches: The Three Moon School, Annunciation Orthodox School and Zahret Al-Ihsan School, were the subject of massive destruction while the dispensaries experienced less damage. Let’s not forget that these damaged architectures built before 1860 hold a historical symbolic value to the existence of the Orthodox church in the region.
Tueini noted that according to the parish engineering office post-blast statistics of the Orthodox church members, 419 homes were damaged out of which 130 were completely destroyed and 120 witnessed major damage. Priests houses were also destroyed. On August 9, priests were given instructions to report, in each parish, names of the victims of the blast, the injured in hospitals, and the missing to keep the search operations going.In this context, Tueini explained that Beirut Greek Orthodox Archdiocese took the initiative, through its Financial Comity and Saint Porphyrios Association, to rehabilitate the associations and 25 households within the parish with the available limited means including the parish’s financial reserve. He added that household rehabilitations are going to be a long process due to the large number of houses, the evaluation process and contracting agreements. In parallel, the Archdiocese will continue providing assistance programs all year long. The Archdiocese even offered compensations to those who paid for the rehabilitation of their houses on their own, each depending on the reparations needed.
Tueini insisted that it was mandatory to rehabilitate Saint George Hospital University Medical Center in order to treat the sick and the injured, the schools in order to reopen their doors in the upcoming academic year and the Archdiocese in Ahrafieh.However, according to Tueini the Archdiocese doesn’t have a source of income to finance these projects. It received local and international, financial, in-kin, food and medical assistances, from individuals, institutions and many churches like the Cypriot, Russian and Coptic churches and the Middle East Council of Churches… These assistances are distributed to affected families “even if we faced some troubles receiving financial assistances due to the Lebanese banks crisis and international food assistances”. Donors contributed with necessities and tools needed for ground work. But “there’s so much to do and the Lebanese government is nowhere to be found. Some parties didn’t do their part of the job like the High Relief Commission… as we received numerous calls from official institutions to ask for information, but that was all”.Tueini insisted on how serious the damage is compared to the provided assistances and on the urgent need today of financial assistances in order to rehabilitate as many households as possible. The estimated cost for this project is at 40 million American Dollars. It is also essential to rehabilitate the people, he said mentioning the efforts of Saint George Hospital University Medical Center direction board and medical personnel. “They didn’t receive the credit they deserved for their heroism on the 4th of August. They evacuated the hospital without electricity nor elevators and they tended the wounded in corridors and on the patio of the hospital despite the injury of many doctors and nurses”.Finally, Tueini thanked “every person who contributed through actions or words and who stood by us and by the people affected”.
Communication and Public Relations Department