In support for religious tourism, “Our Lady of the East” monument inaugurated in Homs countryside 

 Amidst official and popular presence, the Our Lady of the East monument was inaugurated on Sunday in the town of Al-Hawash in the western countryside of Homs.

The event included the inauguration of a huge statue of the Virgin Mary located on the top of a 60- meters high tower, as well as a church, a section for souvenirs, a café, a multi-purpose hall, a section for administration and public services, and gardens.

Khalil Nakad, the donor who financed the project, pointed out that the technical studies of the project began in 2014 and day after day the idea of constructing the statue began to grow and it became true today, indicating that new engineering techniques, that are unprecedented in the region, were used.

Nakad added that the tower was built to be earthquake-resistant and includes all types of structural protection, pointing out that 12,000 roses were planted in its surroundings as a tourist and religious attraction in the region and Syria.

In turn, the project manager responsible for implementing the monument project Shafiq Darwish said  that the technical study of the project began in 2014 and implementation started in 2016, noting that the project faced several difficulties, but the insistence on transforming it into an icon in the region and in Syria in particular, helped overcome these difficulties to complete the project with the efforts of the locals in this area, given the religious symbolism of Virgin Mary who unites all Syrians from all walks of life.

For his part, Metropolitan of Akkar and Wadi al-Nasara and its dependencies (Safita and Tartus) Basilius Mansour said  “We in Syria are one people united by many cultural denominators throughout the ages. We are in Syria like oaks, no one can uproot our roots from the ground. Our Arab faith is embodied today in the gathering of Syrians of all walks of life in this event”.