Trinitarian Order quietly helping persecuted Christians for 800 years
Deir Mar Musa, also known as the Monastery of St. Moses the Abyssinian, is a centuries-old Christian monastery in al-Nabk north of Damascus, Syria. / Credit: LOUAI BESHARA/AFP via Getty Images
Madrid, Spain, Feb 28, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).
The Trinitarian Order was established in the Middle Ages to free Christian captives held by Muslims during the Crusades. Today, in a context of “modern crusades,” where Islamic fundamentalism continues to persecute Christians for their faith, the Trinitarians remain a beacon of hope for those who remain firm in their commitment to Christ.
“Ocho Siglos Después” (“Eight Centuries Later”) is a documentary that gives a voice to this suffering and puts a face on forgotten Christians in places like Syria, Nigeria, or northern India but who are not losing hope thanks to the “silent” help offered by Trinitarian International Solidarity (SIT, by its Spanish acronym), a nongovernmental organization founded by the Trinitarian family 25 years ago.
The documentary by Fascina Producciones was screened Feb. 25 at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid by the vicar general of the order, Father Antonio Aurelio, and the film’s director, Alfredo Torrescalles. The event was moderated by Spanish television host Ana Rosa Quintana and was also attended by the apostolic nuncio to Spain, Archbishop Bernardito Auza.
Spanish television host Ana Rosa Quintana is pictured here with the apostolic nuncio in Spain, Archbishop Bernardito Auza (to her right) and several Trinitarians in attendance. Credit: Trinitarian Order
*Persecuted Christians in Syria, Nigeria, and India*
The documentary captures the apocalyptic atmosphere that looms over the Syrian city of Aleppo, where a small group of Christians abandoned to their fate, most of them elderly, have been struggling every day to survive since the war broke out in 2011.
The support of the Trinitarians reaches every corner of these humble homes, located in desolate neighborhoods destroyed by bombs, thanks to the help of other “angels” who are on the ground, such as Father Hugo Alaniz of the Institute of the Incarnate Word.
A woman who has been bedridden for 13 years or a man who must raise his son with Down syndrome and who, clutching his little rosary, thanks God for his life, are some of those featured in the film, which first focuses on Syria.
In Nigeria, the devastating testimonies of the women who were able to escape the clutches of the terrorists of the jihadist group Boko Haram show how terror has been perpetuated in their communities and their hearts. These Christians find refuge and help in the midst of desperation thanks to the Catholic Church and the work of SIT.
From Africa, the documentary turns to northeastern India, where many young people are being forced to leave their homes as a result of clashes between the Hindu Meitei people and the Christian Kuki tribal people.
Trinitarians say the ethnic conflict has become a religious one and that the Christian community has no support from the government, which is determined to limit religious freedom and prohibit evangelization.
Aurelio emphasized that the documentary is not about the Trinitarians but about showing the reality faced by the people they help. “We are not altruists, we are Christians,” he said, noting that the Trinitarians are discreet and “work quietly.”
Screening of the documentary at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid. Credit: Trinitarian Order
For Aurelio, “the help that can be given to persecuted Christians is very complex, because the problem these people have is not a matter of needing material aid but of their very existence. We want to inform people about their situation and their suffering, because what is not made known does not exist,” he emphasized.
“The message of this documentary is not for them, it is for us. They are Christians like us, why are they abandoned? Why aren’t we paying any attention to them? Why aren’t we helping them? Why aren’t we speaking publicly about this persecution? Why don’t we feel close to them? Our concrete objective as Trinitarians is for these people to not feel alone,” the vicar general of the Trinitarian Order underscored.
The documentary’s director, Alfredo Torrescalles, shared how much he was impacted by filming this documentary, especially in places like Syria. “I think the work that the Trinitarians do is essential, really shines, and is very necessary, but I fear that people will end up becoming desensitized to these tragedies. We have to make an effort to find a way to reach the population and touch their hearts,” he said.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.