World Council of Churches calls for support of Syrian Christians
Syrian Christians. Photo: sib-catholic.ru
On December 10, 2024, Professor Jerry Pillay, General Secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC), called on Christian communities and partners worldwide to support Syrian Christians and pray for the Syrian people.
"In this time of mixed uncertainty and hope, the WCC calls all its member churches and ecumenical partners to join in prayer and Christian solidarity with the churches and people of Syria as they navigate their course through this transition," Pillay stated.
He reminded listeners that the Syrian people have endured more than a decade of war, displacement, and loss caused by a devastating armed conflict following the suppression of peaceful protests in 2011.
According to Pillay, over 580,000 lives have been lost, 13 million Syrians have been displaced, and 154,000 individuals have faced arbitrary detention or enforced disappearance – including two Archbishops of Aleppo, Syriac Orthodox Archbishop Yohanna Ibrahim and Greek Orthodox Archbishop Boulos Yazigi, who were kidnapped by gunmen in April 2013.
"This underscores the immense humanitarian cost of this conflict, and the urgent need for pathways to restorative justice and reconciliation," Pillay emphasized.
He also appealed to the international community, WCC member churches, and their ecumenical and interfaith partners to provide support and aid to displaced Syrians and those in need.
Pillay urged external powers to refrain from armed interventions or other actions that deprive the Syrian people of the opportunity to achieve their aspirations for a just, sustainable, and democratically inclusive peace in their own country.
"This is the time to assist Syria gain stability and peace rather than to exploit the situation for one’s own gains," he added.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that the Synod of the Bulgarian Church called for assistance to Christians in Syria and Lebanon.
Read also
Sand for construction of Yermak’s residence brought from cemetery, MP says
MP Yaroslav Zhelezniak said that sand illegally removed from a cemetery in Ukrainka was used in the construction of the elite Dynasty cooperative in Kozyn.
Italian court recognizes family with three parents as legal
In Bari, the appellate court ordered authorities to register an adoption according to which a child is listed as having two "fathers" and one mother.
Archaeologists discover biblical Bethsaida on shore of Sea of Galilee
Researchers have discovered a first-century residential house beneath the apse of a Byzantine church and a mosaic inscription mentioning the Apostle Peter.
Israeli soldiers receive jail terms for mocking statue of the Virgin Mary
Those involved in the act of sacrilege in the village of Debel will spend several weeks behind bars for desecrating a statue of the Mother of God.
Serbian Church officially receives back land of 15th-century monastery
An agreement was signed in Belgrade transferring the territory of the ancient Vojlovica Monastery to the Banat Eparchy.
Pat Daniel comments on conflict between Phanar bishop and community in Turkey
The Bulgarian Primate believes that the hierarch of the Constantinople Patriarchate should not have forced the Bulgarian community in Edirne to serve in Greek.