Patriarch John X calls for lifting the unjust Western siege imposed on the Syrian people

Damascus (ST) – A Divine Mass was held today on the occasion of the Easter Monday, presided over by Patriarch John X of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All The East, at the Mariamite Cathedral in Damascus, as the Patriarchal Spiritual Choir served the mass.

“The world is crying over Syria and its people and the terrorist war and unjust siege it has been subjected to, without doing anything to lift this stifling Western siege. We call on them to provide security for the people of Syria instead of crying over the result”, Patriarch John said.

“We pray for Syria, its people, and for the unity of its territory, and for Palestine and Al-Quds (Jerusalem), and call for an end to the continuing Israeli aggression against the people of Gaza. We also pray for peace in our East and in the entire world.”

Patriarch John referred to the anninversary of the Martyrsof  May 6th, whom the gallows that were erected for them did not differentiate between Muslims and Christians.

He stressed that the kidnapping of Bishops Boulos Yazigi, Metropolitan of the Greek Orthodox Diocese of Aleppo, and John Ibrahim, Metropolitan of Aleppo for the Syriac Orthodox, by terrorist organizations more than a decade ago, is a slap in the face of human values.

Patriarch John indicated that the humiliating and condemned international silence regarding this issue is often harsher than the kidnapping itself.

Patriarch John X concluded his speech by praying to God to protect Syria, its people, its valiant army and its leader, President Bashar al-Assad, and for peace and love to prevail in Syria and the entire world.

Najla Khoury