Amid reports that Mor Gregorios and Metropolitan Paul have NOT been released and there is confusion over their whereabouts, despite earlier confirmation from the BBC via the Daily Star of Lebanon that they had been, we continue to ask for your prayers for the two bishops and for all the people, Christian, Muslim and others who are being subjected to daily strife and danger. In union of prayer, here are two appeals for the- the first from Patriarch Kirill in Moscow and the second from Pope Francis.
Его Превосходительству
Владимиру Владимировичу Путину,
Президенту Российской Федерации
Ваше Превосходительство,
глубокоуважаемый Владимир Владимирович!
С чувством большой тревоги сообщаю Вам, что 22
апреля сего года был похищен неизвестными архиерей Антиохийской Православной
Церкви митрополит Алеппский Павел. Его автомобиль подвергся нападению, а
диакон, который вел машину иерарха, убит. Митрополит Павел является родным
братом Блаженнейшего Патриарха Антиохийского и всего Востока Иоанна Х.
Одновременно с митрополитом был похищен сиро-яковитский архиепископ города
Алеппо мар Григорий Иоанн Ибрагим (Сирийская Ортодоксальная Церковь). Оба
архипастыря находились в окрестностях Алеппо, наблюдая за распределением
гуманитарной помощи.
Русская Православная Церковь, не понаслышке знающая цену человеческой боли и
страданиям, твердо стоит на позиции неприкосновенности священного дара жизни,
недопустимости действий, направленных на запугивание и насилие в отношении
мирного населения, в том числе и религиозных деятелей.
В связи с этим трагическим инцидентом обращаюсь к Вам с просьбой предпринять
усилия в рамках имеющихся у Российского государства возможностей для скорейшего
освобождения сирийских иерархов.
Пользуясь случаем, желаю Вам мира, доброго здравия и помощи Божией в
ответственном государственном служении.
С глубоким уважением,
+ КИРИЛЛ,
Патриарх Московский и всея Рус
His Excellency
Vladimir Vladimirovich
Putin,
President of the
Russian Federation
Your Excellency,
dear Vladimir Vladimirovich!
With a sense of great anxiety I am informing you that on April 22 this year, the bishop of the Antiochian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan of
Aleppo Paul, was kdinapped by unknown persons. His car was attacked, and the deacon who was driving the hierarch
killed. Metropolitan Paul is the brother of His Beatitude the Patriarch of
Antioch and All the East, John X.
At the same time, the Syro-Jacobite Archbishop of Aleppo Mor Gregorious Yohanna Ibrahim
(Syrian Orthodox Church) was kidnapped along with the Metropolitan. Both Archbishops were in an area outside Aleppo,
observing the distribution of humanitarian aid.
The Russian Orthodox Church, knowing the price of human pain and suffering at first hand,
is grounded on the principle of the inviolability of the sacred gift of life, and the
inadmissibility of actions aimed at intimidation and violence against the
civilian population, including religious leaders.
Accordingly, because of this tragic incident, I am writing to you to request that the
measures, within the capacity available to the Russian state, be taken for the early
release of Syrian bishops.
Taking this opportunity, I wish you peace, good health and God’s help in your responsibilities of public service.
Yours sincerely,
+ Kirill
Patriarch of Moscow
and All Rus
Vatican City, (Zenit.org)
Here is the translation of the statement released by Fr. Federico Lombardi, director of the Holy See Press Office on the recent kidnapping of two Metropolitan bishops in Syria yesterday.
“The kidnapping of the two Metropolitan bishops of Aleppo, Mar Gregorios Ibrahim of the Syriac Orthodox Church, and Paul Yazigi of the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch, and the killing of their driver whilst they were carrying out a humanitarian mission, is a dramatic confirmation of the tragic situation in which the Syrian population and the Christian communities in Syria are living. The Holy Father has been informed of this recent, extremely grave act, which comes on top of the increasing violence of the past days and a humanitarian emergency of enormous proportions. Pope Francis is following the events with deep participation and he is praying for the health and the liberation of the two kidnapped bishops. He is also praying so that, with the support and prayers of all, the Syrian people may finally see tangible responses to the humanitarian drama and real hopes of peace and reconciliation rise on the horizon.”