SYRIA: Syrian town of Marmareta holds annual Christian religious carnival

Record ID: 278556

  • Title: SYRIA: Syrian town of Marmareta holds annual Christian religious carnival
  • Date: 16th August 2007
  • Summary: PEOPLE WATCHING PROCESSION (SOUNDBITE) (English) RIEKES DE POEL, TOURIST FROM HOLLAND, SAYING: "We did not know there was something like this in Syria."
  • Embargoed: 31st August 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVAE5WNF1H104NWS7PRFOAZE6P0H
  • Story Text: The annual carnival celebrating the Assumption of the Virgin Mary is held in the Syrian town of Marmareta.
    The Syrian town of Marmareta near the western city of Homs has held its annual celebration of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary with a carnival procession.
    Children and young men and women dressed in festive costumes participated in a procession of floats and boy- and girl-scout bands on Tuesday (August 14) to commemorate the day the body of the Virgin Mary is believed to have ascended into heaven upon her death.
    Marmareta, a Christian town in a predominantly Christian area of Syria, traditionally hosts the festival, but the celebrations have not always taken the form of a carnival.
    Wissam Saada, a carnival organiser, said many villagers have immigrated over the decades to South America and live and work there while maintaining close contact with their hometown. He said they gave Marmareta villagers the idea of celebrating the festival with a South-American style carnival.
    "The carnival started with a few individuals and with simple ideas. Originally there weren't any of the large floats and designs you see in the carnival now. We got the idea for the present carnival because there are many people from the village who immigrated to Brazil and Argentina, and we took the idea from the Brazilian carnival in Rio (de Janeiro)," Saada said.
    Many Syrian Christians from Marmareta and other towns and villages immigrated to Latin American countries early last century. Others have left to live and work mostly in the U.S., Australia, Western Europe and West Africa.
    Marmareta residents and tourists were treated on Tuesday to street dances and theatrical and musical performances. Children and adults dressed in bright costumes rode on floats made of cars decorated with coloured ribbons, flowers and statues of the Virgin Mary.
    Some tourists were thrilled with the celebrations.
    "We did not know there was something like this in Syria,"
    said one Dutch tourist.
    "I heard about this carnival from my friend," said Sujatha Krishnan, a tourist from India.
    "She is from Switzerland and she came here two yeas ago and said: 'You have to go to this place. It is Marmareta, it is on the top of the mountain. The weather is nice, the people are very nice.' So I decided to come and I am really glad because I met really nice friends and I am sure that I will come back again next year," Krishnan added before playing the guitar and singing to fellow tourists gathered at one of the village cafes.
    Islam is the predominant religion in Syria, with the Sunni sect forming the majority. Christians form 10 percent of the population, and there are several hundred Jews who live mainly in Damascus and Aleppo. Other minorities include Alawites, Druze, Shi'ites, Yazidis and Ismailis.
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