The abbot of the Abbey of the Dormition recounted his experience of the attacks on Jerusalem in the Iran war, including hiding in a bunker with pilgrims visiting the abbey.
The “power of the Psalms” is perceptible “where human words fail,” said Abbot Nikodemus Schnabel, who added:
War strips away your mask. You stand there very exposed, and all the armor you put on in everyday life shatters. Then you stand there with your longings, your fears, your worries. That is when I realized that our primary vocation right now is simply to be there as monks: to listen, to offer comfort, to pray with people.