Please pray for the courageous Patriarch Gregorios, who in solidarity with his fellow patriarchs continues to live among and serve with hope the people of Syria, Muslim and Christian alike, Catholic and Orthodox alike. Pray for his safety: the patriarchal compound was hit with rebel shells twice on Thursday.
Protocol 428/2013D Damascus
09/09 2013
Appeal
to Arab Countries
In the face of
the tragedies that have befallen Syria over the last two and a half years, I see
it as my duty now to appeal to you with confidence, Your Majesties, Highnesses
and Excellencies, and with respect, appreciation and love at this historic
moment in the annals of our countries, and of Syria in particular, by which I
mean the threat from the United States of America, supported by the European
Union, of a military strike on Syria.
I do not wish to
enter into the question of the legality of the strike and its causes and
justification, but I raise a heartfelt cry to Your Majesties: that they prevent
the dangers and consequences that a strike on Syria would have on the whole region
including neighbouring countries, especially Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Palestine
and Israel, as we do not know how far the conflagration might spread into adjoining
countries.
I appeal to you
dear friends, to stand shoulder to shoulder to spare Syria, and even our beloved
Arab East, from the scourge of a strike, for we dare not call it war, in which all
of us Christians and Muslims in the Arab world would be killed. We hope the whole
world will heed the peace appeal launched by his Holiness Pope Francis. He told
us: “War is a defeat for peace!”
We appeal to
you, as we have said before, for unity and for a faithful free secular
democracy in the Arab world, which is the real Arab Spring that responds to the
slogans of demonstrators in the main squares of our cities, and meets the
expectations and aspirations of generations of our young men and women, for liberty,
dignity, pride and a bright future!
I pray for you
all to make supplication for our blessed Arab land that I love, which is home to
all of us Christians and Muslims, the land of civilizations and the cradle of religions,
and the responsibility of us all, which lies especially in your hands, your
hearts and your minds, and deserves all our sacrifices and our love.
With the
assurance of our love and prayers
+ Gregorios III
Melkite Greek Catholic
Patriarch of Antioch and all the East,
of Alexandria and Jerusalem