LEBANON: Israeli airstrike hits Melkite Greek Catholic Church
HRWF (14.10.2024) – On 9 October, a Melkite Greek Catholic church in Derdghaya was struck by an Israeli missile killing at least eight people. The church, which was sheltering displaced civilians, was completely destroyed, along with a priest’s house and a three-story parish building.
According to the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), the church and two of its adjoining halls used as a refuge in the Melkite Greek Catholic Eparchy of Tyre collapsed in the airstrike.
Another missile hit a priest’s house and a three-storey building housing parish offices, completely destroying them.
ACN has been funding around 200 projects in the country and is in close contact with a number of dioceses and religious congregations to assess what more help is needed.
In the past months, ACN aid has included food parcels for thousands of families and medical help for 1,200 people who have stayed in southern Lebanon despite the dangers.
A short history of the Greek Catholic Church of Derdghaya
The church was built in 1911 under the episcopate of His Excellency Bishop Zalhaf.
In 1978, following the Israeli invasion, the church was bombed, its west wall being destroyed. It was restored by His Excellency Mgr Georges Haddad.
In 1992, the two-story Antichas was demolished due to Israeli bombing, causing extensive damage to the church, including cracks in the dome. His Excellency Mgr Jean Haddad restored the church and rebuilt it with a single floor.
In 2018-2019, the church was renovated by the Samaan family, who equipped it with an iconostasis, icons, tiles, electrical installations, air conditioners, a sound system and a generator. The Antichas and the rooms were faced with stone and equipped.
On 9 October 2024, the church was hit by an Israeli air raid which caused massive destruction, particularly in the church hall.
The number of Dardghiya residents registered to vote is around 1000, while the number of current residents is around 130 people. In the 1980s, the village had around 500 residents.