Bab Touma in Syria (Photo: Emily O'Dell)
I was sad to hear about yesterday’s fatal rocket attack that hit the mostly Christian neighborhood of Bab Touma in the Old City of Damascus. When I was in Syria visiting Sufi sheikhs and shrines, I had the opportunity to visit historic churches and chapels in Bab Touma (باب توما / “Thomas’ Gate”). I was first introduced to this neighborhood while studying the history of Christianity in Syria at Brown University with Professor Susan Ashbrook Harvey. Famous residents of the area included St. Paul, St. Thomas, St. Ananias, and Alphonse de Lamartine. Peacefully strolling through the streets of Bab Touma in the heart of Damascus just a few weeks before the war began, my only concern was being blinded by the bright light of the sun (as you can see in the photo above)– but over the course of the Syrian war, this neighborhood has sadly become marred by violence. For Bab Touma, like the rest of Syria, the end of the Syrian war can’t come quickly enough…
Exploring architecture in Bab Touma (Photo: Emily O'Dell)
