Yaziji calls for restoring peace and coexistence

Eastern Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East John X Yazigi launched on Sunday a call on the international community to help releasing the bishops Yohanna Ibrahim and Boulos Yaziji who were kidnapped in Aleppo, in order to prevent the potential repercussions from spreading across the region. He added that his appeal also include a call to resolve the Syrian crisis and spare the region negative effects.                

In a statement prepared by Yaziji and read in his name during the mass held at St Georges Orthodox Cathedral in central Beirut on the occasion of Palm Sunday, Yaziji expressed “his pain toward the abduction of the two bishops,” stressing that this situation of continuous violence has become unacceptable.               

“Each one of you has to express his rejection to the violence committed against Christians, because Christianity is a case of humanity,” he stated.                    

On the other hand, Yaziji held a mass on the occasion of Palm Sunday at Balamand Monastery, where he said that “the people supports peace and coexistence,” calling on the international community to end all kinds of violence.