WCC renews call for release of archbishops of Aleppo

World Council of Churches acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca reiterated calls for the release of two Syrian archbishops, Syriac Orthodox Archbishop Yohanna Ibrahim and Greek Orthodox Archbishop Paul Yazigi, who were kidnapped near Aleppo, Syria in April 2013.

“Today, we mark 3,224 days since archbishops were abducted on their way back from the Turkish border to their city of Aleppo,” said Sauca on 28 February.

The calls for the release of the archbishops come amid grave concern regarding the alarming and rapidly deteriorating situation of Christians in the Middle East. “Day after day, we have prayed and we will continue to pray for safe return of the archbishops to their churches, their communities and their families,” said Sauca. “We stand in solidarity with all the Christians of Syria and the region.”