Aleppo prays for Orthodox bishops kidnapped a month ago

Aleppo prays for Orthodox bishops
kidnapped a month ago
Bishop Audo, Chaldean Archbishop of Aleppo, speaks of the
pain of the Syrian Christian community. For a month the population has been
waiting for news on the conditions of Msgr. Youhanna Ibrahim and Msgr. Boulos
Yaziji kidnapped on 22 April. The appeal of Bartholomew I, for the liberation of
the two prelates and peace in Syria. The hopes for an end to the conflict is
supported by the hymn "Christ is Risen Alleluia", which is heard every day in
all the churches of the city.


Aleppo (AsiaNews): "Pray for the
release of Msgr. Youhanna Ibrahim and Msgr. Boulos Yaziji and for all the people
of Syria." This is the appeal of Msgr. Antoine Audo, Chaldean Archbishop of
Aleppo one month after the kidnapping of the two Orthodox prelates, which took
place on April 22 at the border with Turkey.
What most saddens us - says the prelate to
AsiaNews - and what saddens the population is the total absence of news about
the conditions of the two bishops and where they are prisoners." On 18 May, all
the Christian churches of Aleppo, Catholic and Orthodox, organized a day of
prayer for Syria. Thousands of people attended, braving the bombs, the risk of
robberies and kidnappings. The bishop says priests and religious leaders are an
easy target for criminals and extremists, "I myself cannot move freely for fear
of being kidnapped. We have to plan all our trips."
On May 24, the Catholic Church of Aleppo held a
retreat of prayer and reflection in the Melkite Cathedral. It will bring
together the priests and bishops of the diocese. "The spiritual exercises this
year - says the prelate - are focused on what happened to Msgr. Youhanna and
Msgr. Yaziji. All our prayers and celebrations will be offered for them."
The climate of a city under siege, does not limit
the life of the Church, which has become the only sign of hope in a devastated
country. "We are in Eastertime - Msgr. Audo - and in all the churches we hear
the song 'Christ is risen Alleluia.' Listening to this music in a climate of
sorrow and war, moves us."
In recent days, Bartholomew I, Ecumenical
Patriarch of Constantinople, launched an appeal for the release of the two
prelates in the patriarchal and synodal encyclical published in all the Orthodox
communities on the occasion of the 17th anniversary of the promulgation of the
Edict of Milan. In the text, Bartholomew expresses his deep concern and anguish
for "the persecution still rampant in the land, and in particular recently
against the Christian populations of the Middle East." "Murders, kidnappings,
threats and lawsuits" against Christians: "We share - we read in Patriarch
Bartholomew's encyclical - the pain, grief and the difficulties facing
Christians in the Middle East and Egypt, and in particular, in the ancient and
venerable Patriarchate of Antioch. Without taking any political position, we
condemn without hesitation and once again all forms of violence against
Christians, appealing to the powerful of the earth so that they respect
fundamental human rights, the right to life, to dignity and the right to have a
future, knowing and praising their behavior peaceful and quiet, and their
constant effort to stay away from all violence and conflict. " For his part,
"the Ecumenical Patriarchate will never cease to support with all the forces at
his disposal, the efforts of peaceful dialogue between the different religions
for a peaceful solution of conflicts and the creation of a climate of tolerance,
reconciliation and cooperation between people of every religion and every ethnic
origin. "