Daraa lights up tallest Christmas tree

DARAA, (ST)- The St. George Greek Catholic Parish in Bassir town of Daraa countryside Saturday night lit up the biggest Christmas tree in Syria in preparation for celebrating Christmas and the new Year.

The tree, called the “Tree of the Homeland”,  is 27 meters high and its base is 11 meters wide. It has been lit up by one million lights amid a popular celebration that included artistic performances and recital inspired by Christmas.

The Parish’s Pastor Munawar Al-Bakhitan stressed that celebrating the lighting up of the tree sends a message from the town of Bassir to the entire world that security and stability has begun to return to the country.

Owner of the initiative Samer al-Mhanna, on his part, said the lighting up of the tree  indicates the return of happiness after years of absence.

 One of the locals, Farid al-Ajouri, said the tree means amity and peace. It sends a message of peace from Bassir to all Syria, adding that lighting up the tree in the presence of all components of the Syrian people proves the cohesion between the people and the army.

Hamda Mustafa