Posted on 06/10/2015 1:55:42 PM PDT by NYer
.- The five Christian patriarchs of Antioch met in Syria on Monday, calling for peace in the Syrian civil war while reaffirming that Christians have a place in the Middle East.
The Christian leaders described themselves as an authentic people of the land, who are “deeply rooted in its earth that was watered by the sweat of our fathers and grandfathers, and we confirm more than ever that we are staying.”
“We do not condemn those that choose to leave, but we remind Christians that steadfastness in faith often entails a great deal of tribulation,” they said in a statement following the June 8 meeting. “We call on everyone who claims to have an interest in our fate to help us to remain.”
The five Catholic and Orthodox patriarchs of Antioch attended the meeting, held in Damascus at the headquarters of the local Greek Orthodox archdiocese. The apostolic nuncio to Syria also attended, Reuters reports.
The patriarchs are Gregory III Laham (Melkite Greek Catholic), Bechara Rai (Maronite Catholic), Ignatius III Younan (Syriac Catholic), John X Yazigi (Greek Orthodox), and Ignatius Aphrem II (Syriac Orthodox).
The annual meeting is normally held in Lebanon, but the churches agreed to meet in Damascus so as to reassure all Christians of the region, according to Asia News.
The Syrian civil war and the conflict in Iraq have caused massive casualties and life disruptions for Muslims and Christians alike. Millions of Iraqi and Syrian refugees have been displaced from their homes.
The rise of the Islamic State has also threatened many Christians and Muslims.
The Christian patriarchs of Antioch urged a political settlement of the Syrian. They called on Syrians to be committed to Syrian unity and backed “the right of Syrians to determine freely their own future without foreign interference,” as well as a “political settlement of the Syrian crisis.”
The patriarchs told the international community “to take its responsibility and to stop the wars in our land.” They stressed the need for peace and advocated the return of those who have been abducted or displaced.
They also called for better relations with Muslims. Any extremist forms of Islam must be countered by teaching “a culture of openness, peace and freedom of belief,” they said.
They also noted the centrality of the Palestinian cause in the Arab world, and the “double standards” of the international community.
The statement encouraged Lebanese to be loyal to Lebanon, and to work for the election of a president. Lebanon’s presidency has been vacant since May 2014, due in large part to political divisions over the Syrian war.
Catholic ping!
Ping!
There is no such thing as peace. Never has been. When there were four people on the face of the earth, one was killing the another. It’s in the Bible.
When do you think there will be peace?
That is like saying "why take a bath today when I will only get dirty again tomorrow". When leaders of different religions come together and pray for a common cause, they are not only appealing to God, they also are showing the world they believe that followers of different religions are still brothers and sisters before the one who created them. Being able to pray in common requires a shared understanding of who God is.
God Bless them and our brother and sister Christians in the Middle East. In our parish, as I am sure in yours, NYer, we pray for them every Sunday.
You know it! We have a special intention that is read each Sunday for the middle east christians. One of our parishioners is Syrian. She told me on Sunday that she was finally able to make contact with her relatives. They are professionals - engineers, doctors, etc. They have lost everything - homes, possessions and businesses but draw from their faith, which is still intact. No doubt you can share similar stories from members of your congregation.
God bless!
Pray for the conversion of all to Christ!
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