Deepertruth: Our Lady Of Soulfanish-Damascus Syria 1980's, 8:00 Central

Father René LAURENTIN

It happened in the Orient. This is not a tale of "A thousand and one nights". It is an astonishing document, truly disconcerting. We are in Damascus (Syria), the city where Saul of Tarsus was about to persecute the first Christians, and when he arrived...as a Christian, overcome by Christ. It is an Arab city where Christians are many, scattered among various confessions, the differences and divergences of which emerged throughout history. One finds in it all the contrasts of the Middle East, with deep Christian roots.

It happened to Myrna on November 27th, 1982, at Soufanieh, a Christian quarter of Damascus, Syria: a small inexpensive icon, in a plastic setting frame, starts to ooze oil, drop by drop, enough to fill a saucer. Myrna is 18 years old. She is married to Nicolas since 7 months. She welcomes this oil as God's gift. Her husband had bought the icon during a trip to Bulgaria.(1)

Wise men and scientists, even theologians, may knit their brows.

Oil? What for, what does it mean ? We have lost the sense of signs. The post-conciliar ritual (Vatican II) has suppressed the anointing of oil to the catechumens, symbol of the combat which characterizes Christian life. This unction, similar to the one applied on wrestlers, who, thanks to it, have escaped the holds of the adversary, is today optional and generally omitted. But one has kept the "Holy Chrism", oil that anoints the priests, bishops, and every baptized, every confirmed, as a sign that all Christians participate to Christ's fellowship. Oil is a Christian language.