A Franciscan priest in bomb-stricken Aleppo has called for the prayers of Christians worldwide. The city is engulfed by the worst violence since the Syrian conflict began more than five years ago. Fr Ibrahim Alsabagh told Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN): “Never, since the beginning of this terrible war, were things as bad as they are now. I have no words to describe all the suffering I see on a daily basis.” He described seeing rockets and bombs falling on churches, mosques, schools and hospitals. “So many houses have been partially or entirely destroyed, and so many people killed or severely injured. “And when the bombs do stop falling, there is an eerie silence, like in a cemetery. The streets are as though everyone has died.” Fr Alsabagh, who has been working in Aleppo in northern Syria for two years, added that Easter, which was celebrated by Orthodox Christians and Eastern Catholics in Syria on Sunday, had been a sad affair. He said: “It was more like Good Friday than Easter Sunday. Although two liturgies were celebrated, they were very poorly attended. People were either burying their dead or else they stayed at home out of fear. It was depressing. When will the world community finally wake up and put an end to this new Sarajevo?” He added: “Whoever can escape, does so. On Sunday the roads out of the city were packed with refugees.” Since March 2011, ACN has provided almost £8 million in aid for Syria – its largest ongoing aid package.