Syrian hierarchs kidnapped, driver murdered

Metropolitan Paul Yazigi
(OCA) - In a portion of a letter dated April 22, 2013 and signed by His Grace, Bishop Basil, Secretary of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America to all member hierarchs, prayers were requested for two Syrian hierarchs who had been abducted earlier that day.

The text of the letter reads as follows.

“Metropolitan Paul Yazigi of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Aleppo (brother of His Beatitude Patriarch John X of the Great City-of-God Antioch and all the East), and Mar Gregorios Yohanna Ibrahim of the Syriac Orthodox Archdiocese of Aleppo, were both abducted this morning, Monday, April 22nd, while they were traveling together on the road between Antioch (Antakya, Turkey) and the north Syrian city of Aleppo. The driver of the vehicle in which they were traveling was killed in the attack. Your prayers are requested.”
And also...
Mar Gregorios Yohanna Ibrahim
BEIRUT (Daily Star) - Two Aleppian bishops were kidnapped by Syrian rebels in the outskirts of the city Monday evening, Lebanon’s National News Agency reported.

The driver of Boulos al-Yazigi, the Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Aleppo and Iskandaroun and Yuhanna Ibrahim, the Syrian-Orthodox Metropolitan of Aleppo, was killed during the attack.

The NNA reported that Ibrahim, Yazigi and the third man, also a priest, were driving from a village near the Turkish border to Aleppo. As they approached the city, they were met with an armed group that forced them out of the car.

The bishops are believed to alive and efforts are ongoing to secure their release.

Comments

  1. TruthApril 22, 2013 at 2:42 PM

    This is true islam. The islam that kidnapps, kills, rapes and shows its true face. The rule of Muhammad. Unfortunately the west is promoting this. Without the US involvement in the internal affairs of Syria, non of this would have happened. Thank you Hussein Obama :(

    ReplyDelete
  2. Samn!April 22, 2013 at 2:53 PM

    Both as-Safir and an-Nahar are reporting that the group that committed this kidnapping includes Chechens.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Matushka AnnaApril 22, 2013 at 3:21 PM

    I'd call them animals but that wouldn't technically be correct and would be an insult to the animals. I'm sick to death of hearing about Islam as a religion of peace and all Muslims who are involved in murder are "radical Islamists". They're just devout Muslims. And this is the fruit of a demonic religion.

    ReplyDelete
  4. EliasApril 22, 2013 at 4:22 PM

    It makes me sick to think the United States is funding and supplying these Rebels with weapons. sick sick sick.

    ReplyDelete
  5. OrthocathfacingeastApril 22, 2013 at 4:43 PM

    Interesting interview with Mar Gregorios on Huffington dated 10/25/2012 4:43 pm EDT. In his own words (paraphrased): "we do not have a problem with Islam if its teachings are followed...we will have a problem if harsh interpretations of the Koran prevail". That unfortunate analysis appears to have been eclipsed, following the merger of Syria's Jabhet al-Nusra and the Islamic State of Iraq (Al Qaida) group (source: RUSI | www.rusi.org). Christian prelates would make obvious targets, particularly as much of the external aid, mercifully, is now being diverted away from these radical groups who are trying to provide social services to the local populace in an attempt to win hearts and minds. Lord have mercy.

    ReplyDelete
  6. John (Ad Orientem)April 22, 2013 at 6:19 PM

    Lord have mercy.

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousApril 23, 2013 at 7:39 AM

    ....and nary a word from the main stream media. It boggles my mind that this country is giving hundreds of millions of dollars to these terrorists. We did that in Afghanistan many years ago when the Russians were there....and we see how well that went.

    Lord have mercy!

    ReplyDelete

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