Please read here the document issued by Patriarch Gregorios III of which the text is given below.
Call for Solidarity and
Prayer
(On the Kidnapping of
Metropolitan Paul and Archbishop Gregorios Yohanna)
Rabweh 27 April 2013
Protocol 196/2013R
A cloud of fear and suffering floats over the Middle East and especially
Syria’s city of Aleppo, which is still awaiting, on the eve of Orthodox Palm
Sunday, the release of its two missing bishops, Their Eminences Paul Yazigi,
Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of Aleppo and Alexandretta, and Gregorios Yohanna
Ibrahim, Syriac Orthodox Archbishop of Aleppo, of whom we have no news – despite
constant efforts at all levels – made to secure their release.
We are in constant contact with Their Beatitudes John X and Mar Ignatios Zakka I Iwas.
During these holy days of Palm Sunday and Holy Week, we declare our
solidarity with both patriarchs and our brother bishops Paul and Gregorios
Yohanna, with a view to obtaining the speedy release of the two churchmen and
their return to their Churches and congregations, so that everyone can joyfully
celebrate their return to serving Christians and all citizens of Aleppo and
dear Syria.
We ask all our faithful in all our Churches to unite in constant prayer
to obtain the grace of this release and all our bishops and parish priests to
read the letter for Palm Sunday of His Beatitude John X. We pray for peace and
security in Syria and for it to find once more the path of dialogue and
reconciliation among its citizens.
On behalf of the Eastern Catholic
Patriarchs
Gregorios III
Father Khalil Alwan
Patriarch
of Antioch and All the East General Secretary of
the CECP
Of Alexandria and of
Jerusalem