THE Bishop in Cyprus & the Gulf, the Rt Revd Sean Semple, has said that six weeks of conflict have “left people deeply traumatised”, and that uninterrupted sleep is “a remembered luxury”, after recent visits to the eight countries in his diocese.
Speaking to the Church Times, Bishop Semple described his “solidarity” visits to congregations in areas under attack in the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, and the Arabian Peninsular during Passiontide and Holy Week. He emphasised the importance of churches and worship in the diocese at this time.
“In most places in the Gulf, daily missile and drone attacks continue as they have for the last six weeks,” he said. “Many of these attacks happen at night, and so people fear being out after dark. . . People in the Gulf now speak of an uninterrupted night’s sleep as a remembered luxury. Sleep is shattered by . . . window-rattling explosions as missiles are intercepted overhead. . . One shelters in place, very often in bed, praying for protection and making one’s peace with God.”
He continued: “A month and a half of such danger and broken sleep has left people feeling deeply traumatised and bone-weary.” But, he said, “People are largely adapting to this adversity with grace, some humour, and deep faith. There is a heightened delight in gathering together for services; a palpable sense of people hanging on to every word of the liturgy.”
Christians in the Gulf had especially needed to hear the good news this Easter: “Through word and sacrament and worship, the Church offers a wellspring of hope and comfort in Christ — a thin place between the warring kingdoms of this war and the Kingdom of Heaven.”
But, he asked, “What will it take to restore the sense of regional security and stability that reigned here before 28 February?”
