BEIRUT: Greek Orthodox Patriarch John X Yazigi discussed recent developments Thursday in the case of two kidnapped bishops in Syria with head of General Security Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim.
The two held talks at the Rafik Hariri International Airport for 20 minutes before Yazigi departed to The Vatican.
“We thank everyone for their efforts particularly Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim for the efforts he has exerted in the case of the kidnapped two bishops and we will remain hopeful,” Yazigi told reporters at the Beirut airport in response to a question about the meeting with Ibrahim.
“God willing, soon we will all celebrate the presence of bishops Yazigi and Yohanna among us,” he said.
Aleppo’s Greek Orthodox Archbishop Boulos Yazigi and Syriac Orthodox Archbishop Yohanna Ibrahim were abducted in April by armed men while they were on their way to Aleppo from the Turkish border.
Yazigi is scheduled to hold talks with the Pope and discuss the situation in Syria and the Christians in the Middle East.
“Wherever we go, we carry the concerns of our people and the region so there will be deliberations about the situation in our countries in the east, Syria and Lebanon,” he said.
He also thanked the Pope for the call for peace he made earlier this month for the world and in Syria.
Yazigi also discussed the situation of the predominantly Christian Syrian village of Maaloula which came under attack by radical rebel groups who reportedly destroyed and looted churches, forcing dozens of families to flee.
The patriarch said he made an appeal earlier this week for the sake of Maaloula in order to distance the village from ongoing clashes and spare it damage.
The village is of great significance to Christianity as many of its inhabitants speak Aramaic, the language believed to be spoken by Jesus.
“The appeal was also for all international organizations, the International Red Cross, the Red Crescent, and government and non-government organizations to help the village from a humanitarian aspect and provide it with water, electricity and food for the 40 individuals including nuns and orphans in the Mar Takla monastery,” Yazigi said.
He noted that the nuns were not hostages but they refused to leave the monastery.
Asked about the presence of Christians in the Middle East which many argue is under threat, Yazigi said Christians and Muslims of this region share a similar history and fate and “we have always lived side by side despite some circumstances.”
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26/09/2013
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