When the Syrian Army Arrived, Only Two Christians Remained in al-Qusayr

From today's an-Nahar, here.



Only Two of al-Qusayr's Christians Remain

Only two of al-Qusayr's Christians remain from an original population of 20,000 residing there prior to the outbreak of events, alongside 40,000 Sunnis. This was before the outbreak of events and the take-over of the city by the opposition a year ago, at which point the majority of Christians fled, fearing instability and the beginnings of Islamic fundamentalist movements that were starting to show signs in al-Qusayr and imposing themselves on Leftist, secularist groups in the opposition.

Thus, when the Syrian Army and Hezbollah fighters entered the city yesterday, there were no Christians left in al-Qusayr aside from Talal Haddad and his uncle, Ajjaj Haddad, along with their secularist Sunni Muslim neighbor, Abdelkarim Zuhouri, who prefered remaining with his only two neighbors to leaving al-Qusayr with the refugees.  Talal had been fired upon by armed men from Jabhat al-Nusra a while ago and was shot in the foot in order to terrorize him and force him to flee the city with his family, but the secularly-inclined Talal preferred to remain and defend the family home, with the help of the remaining Leftist members of the opposition.

The Patriarch of Alexandria and the Archbishop of Cyrpus Visit Balamand

Arabic original, with pictures, here.


In support and solidarity with the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East, His Beatitude Pope and Patriarch of the Church of Alexandria and All Africa Kyrios Kyrios Theodoros II and His Beatitude Archbishop of Cyprus Kyrios Kyrios Christophoros made a visit to Balamand Monastery, the University, and the Saint John of Damascus Theological Institute, in the company of His Beatitude our father Patriarch John X.

Their Beatitudes blessed the breakfast table by their presence with the students, stressing their joy in taking part in the Institute's daily program. His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros gave a small speech in which he expressed the importance of the Theological Institute's role in producing a zealous generation of youth, recalling the role of Patriarch Ignatius of thrice-blessed memory in this work. Afterwards, they visited the monastery, the Saint Joseph of Damascus Center for Manuscript Preservation, and the University.

The Saint John of Damascus Theological Institute had the joy of meeting with the honored guests when the Institute's administration, professors, and students welcomed Their Beatitudes with hymns of the Resurrection. Then there was a meeting with the professors of the Institute, during which the Institute's dean, Bishop Ghattas Hazim, offered gifts to the honored guests. Then there was a meeting with the professors and students of the Institute, where His Beatitude John X welcomed the honored guests, after which His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros gave a speech in which he talked about the Church of Alexandria from a historical perspective and about her missionary role in Africa. He likewise emphasized the importance of the bond between sister churches, quoting the Archbishop of Cyprus' words that the Antiochian Church is considered the spiritual mother of the Church of Cyprus. After that, the Archbishop of Cyrpus gave a speech in which he affirmed the Orthodox Churches' solidarity among themselves and especially with the Church of Antioch, during the current circumstances that she is experiencing. He expressed his strong denunciation of the kidnapping of the two bishops in Aleppo. His Beatitude announced the Church of Cyprus' intent to open a theological institute following the example of Balamand, given the Antiochian Institute's pioneering role in the Orthodox world.

At the end of the meeting, the Institute's choir chanted hymns and prayers for His Beatitude the Patriarch of Alexandria who blessed them with his presence.

Balamand
June 6, 2013

Turkey's Christians Support the Taksim Square Protests

French original here.


Turkey's Christians Support the Protests

Assyrians, Armenians, Greeks, or Latin Catholics, Christian minorities in the country share their Turkish compatriots' anger


by Burcin Gercek, Istanbul


"I do not think that the Christians' future will be very bright in Turkey." Yuhanna Aktas, founder of the Assyrian cultural association of Midyat, a city in the southeast of the country, thus shares his worry with regard to the policy of soft Islamization of the society carried out by the government under the AKP party. His association along with a dozen NGOs in Midyat have issued a communiqué in support of the protests, which have been been taking place for the past week in Turkey. The Assyrians (2500 people in Midyat and 18000 in Turkey) make up one of the principle Christian communities in the country, along with the Armenians (almost 70000 people) and the Greeks (2000 people).

Quran Courses Included in School Curricula

If the small city of Midyat has not seen protests, the Assyrians of other cities, notably Antakya and Diarbakr, have participated in what they are calling in Turkey "the Gezi Park Resistance", after the name of the Istanbul park next to Taksim Square whose planned redevelopment provoked the people's anger.

"We are seeing in our life the consequences of this government's policy that excludes those who are not their own," he states. "Courses on the Quran and the life of Muhammad have been included in school curricula. They are presented as an optional course. But in many schools, other optional courses are not opened under the pretext that there are not enough students. In small towns, Assyrian students are at risk of finding themselves forced to choose Quran courses." Other problems of the Christian community, such as instruction in their native language or the right to own their monasteries, also remain unresolved.

Also the owner of a wine production facility, Yuhanna Aktas is also nervously following the recently passed resolutions restricting the sale of alcohol in Turkey. "The AKP is in the process of banning alcohol, but is doing so gently," he believes. "First they banned online sales in 2011. The law that was just passed bans almost every kind of sale at a distance. We cannot even put wines in our window. They must be hidden in a space at the back of the store. They want to tell us gently 'Close your business.'"

"Anger at a discourse that excludes"

Yuhanna Aktas nevertheless had voted for the AKP in 2002, when Recep Tayyip Erdogan was promising more freedom for all citizens. "There is a phrase that Erdogan often likes to use. 'We are all brothers in this country: Turks, Kurds, Laz, Arabs, etc...' But he never includes the Assyrians or the Armenians." For the Christian entrepreneur, "the current protests reflect anger at a discourse that excludes."

Members of the Assyrian community in Istanbul are also closely following the developing social movement. "We are not a homogenous community, so there are people who support and who distance themselves from these protests," explains Rober Koptas, editor-in-chief of Agos, a newspaper published in Armenian and Turkish. "But I've seen many young Armenians who were present at the protests, but individually and in the name of their associations."

"Rights of citizens"

For Rober Koptas, whose newspaper "supports the protests", certain positive steps taken by the AKP,  such as a restitution of part of the assets belonging to non-Muslim associations, do not make them "untouchable" in the eyes of the Christians. "We look at things from the perspective of the rights of citizens."

As for the small Latin-rite Catholic community, which numbers 1500 faithful, they hope that the tensions can be calmed. The parish is situated close to Taksim, the central point for the protests. "We are the minority of minorities in Turkey," says Mgr Louis-Armel Pelâtre, apostolic vicar of Istanbul. "The Latin-rite Catholics are not participating in the protests, but are following the events nervously."

Official Translation of Patriarch John X's Address at the Phanar

This is the official translation, which I transmit unmodified. While the Patriarchate's website is being renovated, official information and photographs are being posted to the Patriarchate's Facebook page, which is very much worth joining.

Also, the Patriarchate of Contantinople's English-language coverage of Patriarch John X's visit can be found here. It includes Patriarch Bartholomew's homily at the liturgy and his welcoming address.

Address of His Beatitude John X, Patriarch of Antioch and all the East at the Phanar, Constantinople, Sunday 2nd June 2013

Your All Holiness and Beatitude, Patriarch of Constantinople - the New Rome, and Ecumenical Patriarch, Most Beloved Brother in Christ our God and our Concelebrant, Kyrios Kyrios Bartholomew.

We embrace you with joy and address your All Holiness with brotherly love, together with the Metropolitans, Bishops and the respectful clergy and the people.
Christ is risen!

I come to you today from Antioch where the followers of our Lord were first called Christians; from Antioch which gathered under her wings men whose faith and stature were acknowledged by all Christians; from Antioch in which the chiefs of the apostles, Peter and Paul, preached, together with St. Ignatius of Antioch, the martyr who enriched the universal Church with his theology rooted in the Gospel of St. John; from Antioch where St. John Chrysostom started his mission and carried a spiritual heritage to Constantinople where some of his relics were brought back to this Church after they were taken away by the Franks; from Antioch in which flourished St. Ephrem and St. Isaac the Syrian who Christianised Syrian thought and left to the world the best of what could be written in spirituality and asceticism. We should also not forget the contribution of St. Maximus the Confessor, who originated from the Golan Heights in the vicinity of Damascus and who became a doctor for the world and defended in his person the Orthodox faith against all sees and authorities. His witness was exactly like that of St. John of Damascus before him, who left us, besides his outstanding theological works, beautiful hymns which adorn the services and the celebrations of the liturgical year and elevate those who celebrate the feast of feasts in all Orthodox countries and empower us to stand firm in the joy of the glorious resurrection which we are still experiencing to this day. Many ancient and modern martyrs, monks and commentators contributed, throughout the ages, to the formation of this Antiochian pattern of thought, enriching the whole of Christianity by what has been given to us through the revelation of the Holy Spirit. I should also mention here those men of Antioch who sat on the throne of Constantinople, such as Nectarius of Tarsus (381 - 397), Arsacius (404 - 405), John Third Scholasticus (565 - 577) and Cosmas the Antiochian (1075 - 1081). This is a sign of the brotherhood between our Churches from ancient times, the marriage of our cultures and the close relations which continue to bind the thrones of Constantinople and Antioch.

As I recall the Antiochian contribution to the life of the universal Church, I assure your Holiness that, despite the enormous difficulties and the troubles we are going through, we shall remain faithful to the mission of those great fathers; and we shall revere and revive their memory and heritage, which were incarnated all over the Antiochian territory, in Syria, Mesopotamia, Arabia and all the East.
In addition to this theological and spiritual radiance, the Antiochian See has consistently played a mediating role and called for unity and peace within the Orthodox family, seeking always to soften positions and working continuously to promote reconciliation in the spirit of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Mention should be made here of the role that our predecessor, Patriarch Peter the Third, played at the beginning of the eleventh century when he reminded us of the necessity of forgiveness and laying aside unnecessary accusations and of accepting the other in love so as to win him to the Orthodox faith. He said to the Patriarch of Constantinople, Carolarius: "I throw myself at your feet ... and beseech you not to ask for everything, lest we lose everything ... Human beings must not hate any of what God has created; they should instead accept it with thankfulness".

We observe in this stance of Patriarch Peter a light that guides us and enlightens our way today, pushing us forward towards accomplishing a similar role in the context of the disagreements between the Orthodox Churches as they open up to other Christians. As Antiochians, we shall always seek to accept the other, understand him and make a dialogue with him, aiming to discover the fullness of the truth of Christ, away from any particular racist or national consideration. We shall always open up to others, because Christ came to baptise us all, as the apostle says that in Jesus Christ - “where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.” (Colossians 3: 11)

We come to you today accompanied by all these saints in order to affirm to you the great position of your Apostolic See in the hearts of Antiochians. We express to you our deep appreciation of what you have done in the difficult times of the history of our Church when you received its patriarchs and provided them with support when they needed it. We come today to affirm that we look to your Apostolic See as an Orthodox point of reference carrying the responsibility of preserving the unity and harmony between sister Churches, encouraging them to respect the holy canons when they deal with one another and with others. There is a great need today for someone who can play this role, going beyond all racist, political, national and partisan considerations, and going beyond all wounds, so that the witness of the Orthodox Church to Our Lord can be strengthened. Help us, Your Holiness, to be ready to go forward with the free brotherly love which does not judge, so as to transcend those "secondary" disputes and disagreements which have at times in the past tarnished and still today tarnish relations between our Churches.

We come to you, Holy brother, in our first visit after our enthronement as Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, hoping that we can continue in these tragic circumstances which you know well our visits to the other heads of the sister Churches in order to convey to each of them a message of faith and brotherhood similar to that which we are conveying to you now, and to discuss with them common concerns, inspired not by the spirit of this age, but by the spirit of the Gospel, putting our sights on what the Lord has told us:- “the one who wishes to be first among you shall be servant to all.” (Mark 10:44). Our Orthodox Churches have so many tasks to accomplish in order to be able to witness for the truth of our mission. I shall mention here only the most important of these tasks.

We have put you in the picture from the very first moment concerning the disagreement that the See of Jerusalem caused when that See appointed a Metropolitan in Qatar and claimed, in clear and obvious opposition to canon laws and history, that the Gulf region pertaining to our Antiochian See in which we have a working diocese and a number of active parishes for several decades, is part of his jurisdiction. We will not resort to the non-brotherly measures to which that See has resorted with other Churches when it faced similar cases. We insist, however, on our right, and expect from your
Holiness some work to fix this matter as soon as possible.

We would also like to talk about the preparatory work for the pan-Orthodox Synod in order to express our concerns regarding the direction this work has taken, in opposition to the universal vision of Patriarch Athenagoras when he originated the idea of holding this Synod. The Patriarch had hoped that the Synod would not be limited to discussing our relations with the non-Orthodox and non-Christians and the world, and to issues related to positions and authority in the Church. These last issues alone could give the impression that the spirit of the world prevails in our relations, when what the world expects from the Orthodox Church is a prophetic word which would give meaning to its existence, the meaning that the world has lost by departing from the Orthodox path. Thus it is essential to seek to expand the agenda of the Synod in order to touch upon the challenges which face all people, both young and old, so that the synod might become a general Church event that could be of interest to everyone, Orthodox and non-Orthodox alike. We still have plenty of time to open up these issues.

This Synod, should it be held, has to affirm, among other things, the centrality of the human person and the centrality of communion among all human beings. Such an affirmation must be accompanied by the necessity of acknowledging the gifts already present among the people of God, as we work on improving interaction and respect for each other in order to avoid slipping into the abyss of institutionalism. Only then will the leadership of the Church and the people of God complement each other and exchange gifts in the service of the Truth. It is that Truth which alone liberates, making us witnesses to the resurrection, truly raising us up, to the Spirit who revives us, and to the Trinity, the Source of love and life itself. Accordingly, we should observe and confess humbly that the division between the theology of the Church and its sociological reality is unfortunately increasing. We must prepare ourselves to utter courageous and inspiring words so that we can revive what has become antiquated in our practices and actions.

In order to crystallise these ideas, we confirm to your brotherhood the importance of calling regular meetings of the heads of the Orthodox Churches, with their assistants and counsellors, in order to discuss those matters that impede Orthodox witness. It is right that we should work together to find ways to promote and harmonise relations between the Orthodox Churches. Therefore, it is necessary to expand the agenda of the imminent Synod and prepare ourselves so that each of us can, contribute to removing the divisions between the churches and to address the challenges facing us.
It is expected that these meetings will look at the diseases of Orthodoxy today. The first of these is the increase of racist thought and the sad confusion between Orthodoxy and nationalism. There is no need to say that, at times, it seems to us that some would hold to their race or nation more than to their Orthodoxy. This impedes the witness of our one Orthodox Church, and makes it look divided and heterogeneous. We should go back to what was decided by the Synod held in this city in the year 1872 against racist and nationalistic thought in the Church. The echo of this racist and nationalistic thought in Orthodox witness today within the diaspora is no less dangerous in this respect.
The second disease is individualism and the interruption of true dialogue between the Orthodox Churches. The interruption of dialogue or limiting it to certain issues, avoiding more sensitive matters, points to the fact that we are unfortunately not ready to accept the other as someone who can question us and our cultural assumptions. It is therefore our duty to listen to others and to seek to hear the best of what others perceive in terms of the beauty and gifts that God has put in all cultures and traditions for the benefit of all. We have to confess that many disagreements could be a source of richness for all, if we look at them with humility and understanding.

What does the world expect from us? Your Holiness, you have touched upon much of this in your speeches and especially in the book of dialogues with Olivier Clement. It seems to me that the world is expecting from us prophetic sayings such as those you have uttered on ecological issues and the transfiguration of the earth, on freedom, love, Church, homelands, the societies of consumption and other such challenging issues which characterise the global culture in which we live. I hope we can make the Orthodox Church accept the content of these sayings and live out their meaning.

The world is also expecting from us that we seek seriously to re-establish the unity of all Christians, with the non-Chalcedonians first and then with the western Churches. After centuries of disputes and mutual anathemas, of rejecting and neglecting each other, it is time for the weakened community of disunited Christians who wish to incarnate the message of Christ to understand the prayer of Jesus that the world will not believe in Jesus if those who believe in Him are not united. Why don't we follow seriously the decisions of Balamand and Chambesy for example?

We should acknowledge that schism today is not only between the Churches, but also within each of them. While we are called to learn from each other, each of us is searching for Christ in his own way and sings for Him with their own particular words and rituals. We have to love the face of Christ as He is seen by the other. Only then will our experiences complement each other; and we shall discover that the wall of enmity and schism does not grow so high as to reach the heavens. We have to restore the dynamism that prevailed in our openness together in the days of your great predecessor. We need prophetic sayings and prophetic actions that will influence the people of God and restore to them the hope that the unity of Christians can be realised in the near future. God is knocking on our doors saying to us that the days are evil and that we should not stop at formalities. Instead, we should look for the truth in love and understand that if we believe, we can move mountains. We should not forget that true love must be unconditional.

Our openness to others should also reach out to non-Christian religions, especially to Islam, whose presence in the world is growing. The historical changes in Antioch made us the "Church of the Arabs", most of whom are Muslims. We have learned to foster co-existence with them; and many times we have succeeded in opening frank dialogues on the basis of love and mutual respect. We have suffered much in the campaigns of Christians who came to us holding the cross in one hand and the sword in another, increasing our troubles and hardships. Although we denounced the confusion between the Cross and war, we have paid for what has been imposed on us in terms of blood and humiliation. We have, however, preserved firmly, the spirit of the true Cross; and we continue to witness to the contemporary presence of that true Cross. Nowadays, we must continue on this path and witness, despite hardships, as to how our Christ wants us to love everyone. All the Orthodox Church, especially the Churches of the East, have to collaborate in this field. Therefore, we have to think deeply, all of us, about what methods might be effective to consolidate our relations with the Muslims, and to stop the emigration of Christians from our countries. Thus, in the age of big changes in our global culture today, I call upon you, your Holiness, to lead all of us in the process of rethinking the future of the co-existence of religions. We cannot simply leave this to political frameworks, because their interests limit their vision of man on one hand and of the interconnection of societies on the other. We have to find effective ways for us to be the conscience of this political world, so that its limited interests will not continue to be a cause of oppression of the poor and the weak.

Besides the different theological dialogues which we must continue to pursue with increased dynamism, we have to join up with other Christians in the service of the poor and the weak and all those who suffer increased violence and persecution all over the world, and in our eastern countries in particular. As my predecessor the late Patriarch Ignatius the Fourth said when he received Pope John Paul the Second in Damascus: "We are called to wipe away the tears of all those who weep." This process of wiping "away the tears of all those who weep" requires not only prayer, but also support for those in need and sustained work to remove oppression, so that they might be convinced that the last word is not that of death, but of life and love. We have to find the right words and the practical deeds to remind the nations and the wealthy societies of the necessity of working for peace instead of war, working for communion instead of prejudice, and decent living instead of violence and oppression.

In this context, I should mention the tragic events raging in my beloved Syria today, just as they raged in Iraq and Lebanon previously, and to say that we bleed with every wound affecting its children in every religion and confession, and to affirm that we have to make every effort to awaken people to the misfortunes of men and the necessity of helping them. Thus, from this revered platform, and on the basis of our concern and common responsibility, I affirm the necessity of solidarity and common work in order to alleviate this suffering with all its humanitarian, sociological, and security implications, this suffering which has hit our countries, so very great in their histories and cultures. Accordingly, I reiterate my appeal to the international society to rise to its responsibilities and to reject every attempt to diminish our cultural plurality and to separate the children of this one people. Instead, let us stabilise and consolidate the rights of everyone in freedom, dignity, sovereignty and common good living. We should not forget that extremism has grown to the extent of targeting both Muslim and Christian clergy, such as in the assassination of the Allama Al Bouty and the kidnapping of the Metropolitans Paul and John.

I will not prolong my speech further. I am happy to be in this place; and I pray to the Lord to support you, Your Holiness, in your mission in this country and in the whole Orthodox Church. And to you: "Many Years!"

Patriarch John X Returns to Lebanon from Istanbul

Arabic original here. 

Patriarch John X Yazigi returned to Beirut this afternoon from Turkey on a private plane put at his disposal by the former Deputy Prime Minister Issam Fares, accompanied by the president of Balamand University, former minister Elie Salem and a number of bishops.

He was met in the main reception hall of Rafic Hariri International Airport by the Minister of Defense in the caretaker government, Fayez Ghosn, representing the president of the Republic General Michel Suleiman, the general director of the Fares Institute, General William Majli, representing Issam Fares, and a large number of bishops and dignitaries.

After reviewing a unit of the Internal Security Forces, official greetings were made, during which Yazigi stated, “First of all, I want to express my thanks, esteem, and love for the president of the Republic General Michel Suleiman for sending the dear brother Minister of Defense Fayez Ghosn to welcome us at the airport. I would also like to thank His Excellency Issam Fares for his great concern, constant as usual, in supporting all affairs and matters of the Church. We pray for the wellbeing and strength of all.”

Asked if he broached the topic of the two kidnapped bishops in Syria with Turkish officials, he responded, “The visit we made to Istanbul was in principle churchly. We met with our brother Patriarch Bartholomew and during the visit we expressed our mutual love and cooperation in all Church issues that concern our people as well. We discussed many topics that we hope to follow up on for the good of our people and our country.”

He added, “As for the issue of the bishops, we always say that communications are ongoing, on our part and on the part of His Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch, with all parties and officials that should be communicated with. We hope for the best.”

Asked whether he has received any assurances of their well-being, along with other kidnapping victims, he responded, “They assure us of this and this is what we hope.”

Asked if he asked Turkish officials to continue necessary communications in order to speed their release, he said, “Naturally, as I mentioned, we are in constant contact with all interesting parties. His Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch in Istanbul is also in constant contact with all parties on every level on behalf of the kidnapping victims, not only the bishops. We also discussed the situation in our country and how to bring about peace in these lands, in Syria and Lebanon, for the sake of our people in this region, who are good people, for whom we desire all peace and stability and that the language of dialog and coexistence will be the prevailing language for all.”

Asked what his comments are on the current situation in Syria in light of recent developments there, he responded, “We constantly hope that there will be the solution that all are currently striving for. The solution to the Syrian crisis is through dialog and mutual understanding, not through violence or any other language that is incompatible with peace, love, and coexistence.”

Patriarch John X's Visit to Istanbul

These are my own, unofficial translations. Arabic original here and here, with pictures.


Press Release
 
The first day of Patriarch John X's Visit to the Orthdox Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul, June 1, 2013

Saturday, June 1, 2013, John X (Yazigi), Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East began his official visit to His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in Istanbul. This, the first visit, comes in the context of the visits to the heads of the local Orthodox churches that Patriarch John is making after his election according to custom and following the order of the Orthodox sees.

The first part of the day began at 9:30 AM when His Beatitude John X and his accompanying delegation arrived at the residence of the Ecumenical Patriarch in Fener, Istanbul, where a large crowd of bishops, priests, deacons and the faithful were waiting to welcome him. They all then entered the Cathedral of Saint George, where His Beatitude presided at prayers of thanksgiving. He then went with his accompanying delegation to the throne-room in the Ecumenical Patriarch's residence, where he was received according to custom by His Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, surrounded by the members of the Holy Ecumenical Synod, bishops dependent on the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and a great number of Orthodox faithful who had come from various regions, especially from the region of Antioch. After exchanging welcoming speeches, the two delegations left for the island of Chalki, to visit Holy Trinity Monastery and the Ecumenical Patriarchate's theological institute. The monastery's abbot and dean of the theological institute, Metropolitan Elpidoros of Bursa welcomed them. After a welcoming speech by the dean of the institute, Patriarch John in his speech expressed his hope that this distinguished institute would once more open its doors and realize the hoped-for collaboration with the Saint John of Damascus Theological Institute in Balamand, Lebanon and thus renew its well-known history of contributions for the entire Orthodox world. The closing speech was by His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. There followed a welcoming reception and an agape table in honor of His Beatitude Patriarch John.

In the evening, His Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch held a dinner at his home in Istanbul in honor of His Beatitude Patriarch John and his accompanying delegation.

Press Release
 
The Second Day of Patriarch John X's Visit to the Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul, June 2, 2013

The first part of the second day of Patriarch John X (Yazigi)'s visit to His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholemew began in the morning with participation in the divine liturgy celebrated by the two patriarchs in the Cathedral of Saint George, at the patriarchal residence in Istanbul. Bishops, priests, and deacons participated with the two patriarchs and members of the Antiochian delegation and a large number of faithful. At the end of the liturgy, the two patriarchs exchanged words about the visit and its meaning, confirming the strength of bonds of communion and cooperation between the two churches, based on historical, fraternal relations that have joined the See of Antioch and the See of Constantinople since the dawn of Christianity. They emphasized the necessity of cementing cooperation and the bonds between them for the service of the Church and relations between the Orthodox churches and for developing Christian witness in the world today.

In his speech, His Beatitude Patriarch John turned at length to Antiochian contributions to the life of the Catholic Church through great fathers who were a source of great spiritual and theological radiance, emphasizing that despite the enormous difficulties and tragedies that have affected his church, she will once more revive the legacy of all these fathers. He also pointed to her role of mediator and voice for unity, peace, tolerance, and acceptance of the other that the Antiochian Orthodox Church has played across history. His Beatitude likewise emphasized the many issues facing the entire Orthodox Church in the world today, affirming the necessity of interchange and constant consultation on matters of mutual concern, in agreement with "the spirit of the Gospel and not the spirit of this world." Regarding the issue of the conflict with the See of Jerusalem, which claims to have canonical authority over Qatar and the region of the Arab Gulf, in explicit contradiction of canons and history, His Beatitude confirmed that the spirit of love and communion must reign in fraternal relations in the Church without compromising the truth, as he requested His Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch to work to "return things to their proper state as quickly as possible."

Regarding preparation for the Great and Holy Council of all the autocephalous Orthodox churches, His Beatitude the Patriarch requested that it not be limited to relations with the non-Orthodox and the world and issues pertaining to centers of authority in the Church, emphasizing the necessity of working to expand the council's agenda "because the world awaits a prophetic voice from the Orthodox Church that will contribute to bringing meaning back to its existence." His Beatitude likewise emphasized the importance of communications and regular gatherings between the leaders of the Orthodox churches in order to discuss issues that hinder the witness of the Orthodox Church in the world today, warning of "worsening racist thinking" in the Church, which contradicts the decisions of the Council of 1872. He also emphasized the importance of the Church's unity as a necessary element of  Christian witness in the world today, saying that "there need to be prophetic words and deeds that affect the people of God and return hope to them that unity between Christians will be realized in the foreseeable future." He likewise mentioned the importance of bolstering relations with Muslims and of contemplating a future of coexistence between religions, emphasizing the necessity of a peaceful solution in Syria and combating extremism, once more calling on everyone in the international community to release the two bishops of Aleppo, Boulos Yazigi and Youhanna Ibrahim who were kidnapped on April 22.

The second day was also distinguished by the irenic and fraternal discussions that took place during the evening at the residence of the Ecumenical Patriarch between the two patriarchs and the delegations accompanying them, where many topics of mutual concern to the two churches were discussed, as well as others pertaining to relations between the Orthodox churches, especially the issue of Qatar. The necessity of mutual support during this sensitive and critical period that is sweeping the region was affirmed, as well as the necessity to expend every effort to achieve the release of the two bishops kidnapped in Aleppo.

Demonstration in Paris Today for the Kidnapped Bishops

From FRANCE 24. French original here.


Bishops Kidnapped in Aleppo: The Eastern Orthodox Community Mobilizes in Paris

by Amara Makhoul-Yatim

Worries are growing about the fate of the two bishops kidnapped on April 22 near Aleppo, in Syria. More than a month after the kidnapping, there is still no news of the Greek Orthodox bishop of Aleppo, Boulos Yazigi, and Youhanna Ibrahim, the Syriac Orthodox metropolitan of the same city. According to several sources, the two prelates were kidnapped in the village of Kafr Dael as they were trying to mediate on behalf of two priests kidnapped by rebel groups several months earlier.

If, in the days following the abduction indignant responses poured in from around the world, the matter was not covered by the media. A silence that makes the Orthodox fear that the two bishops will be forgotten.

Alerting the International Community

During a sermon given in Damascus on May 20, the Orthodox Patriarch John X of Antioch said, "I will take advantage of this occasion in order to address, in your name, you who are in the homeland or in the diaspora, a call to the international community to encourage them to use all possible means to obtain the liberation of the kidnapped [bishops]..."

In response to that call, the Orthodox community in France decided to mobilize to alert "the international community and French public opinion about the two kidnapped bishops, but also about all people deprived of liberty," according to the words of the communiqué. At the initiative of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Europe and the Syriac Orthodox church in Paris, a gathering is scheduled on Sunday, June 2, at Human Rights Square, Trocadero, Paris.

Interviewed by FRANCE 24, Ignatius Alhochi, bishop of the Orthodox community in France, emphasizes that it is "a silent gathering of prayer for the liberation of the two bishops..." He explains that the goal of this unprecedented demonstration is to "truly attract the attention of pubic powers to this matter, in order to work for their liberation."

The Bishops are Still Alive

Even if little information filters in about the identity and motives of the bishops' kidnappers, some sources within the opposition have nevertheless repeatedly reported that the bishops are still alive. "The only information that is sure for us is that two or three days ago a doctor visited the two bishops. They are well," declared to the press Abdalahad Steipho, a member of the Syrian National Coalition, the main opposition body, on May 26, at an opposition meeting in Turkey.

Abdalahad Steipho, himself Christian, presides over a committee formed by the SNC to investigate the heinous kidnappings of which rebel groups have been accused for two years. He has also stated that the committee's efforts to make direct telephone contact have failed and that it was receiving "a great deal of contradictory information about the identity of the kidnappers and their demands for ransom." Asked about different possible paths, the opposition member responded, "This kidnappings are sometimes committed by criminal groups, sometimes by the regime of Asad, and sometimes, we must be frank, units of the Free Syrian Army are responsible for such kidnappings, in order to arrange hostage exchanges."

Kidnapping, a Lucrative Business Now Commonplace in Syria

For Hassan, a member of the community, who is attending the gathering on Sunday, "the initiative does not intend to be just for the community, but rather for humanity." "All are invited to come. There will be Christians and Muslims," he assures. This father, a dentist, does not hide his worry. "We hope that the bishops were kidnapped for profit, as is the case with many Syrians, and not because they are bishops," he confides.

Several Muslim dignitaries have been killed since the beginning of the Syrian conflict, two years ago, but this is the first time that Christian prelates have been victims of the belligerents. Christians, who constitute about 5% of the Syrian population, are particularly vulnerable in the context of the anarchy encouraged by the conflict that is bloodying the country, the Organization for the Defense of Human Rights emphasizes. Interviewed last September by Reuters, Youhanna Ibrahim, the kidnapped bishop of Aleppo, indicated that Aleppo's Christians were directly affected "by the fighting that has been going on for months for control of this great city of the north of the country."

"We want to attract attention to these two persons, but through them to all those who are kidnapped in Syria," Hassan explains. Kidnapping has, in effect, become commonplace in Syria. Many have had to pay exorbitant sums in order to obtain the freedom of a family member from armed groups.

Cited by Le Figaro last February, the Syrian Minister of Reconciliation evoked "an large  market." He estimates at 5000 the number of people kidnapped by one side or the other or by bandits who take advantage on instability in order to make money.