Patriarch Yaziji on Easter: We Want International Community to Stop Source of Weapons Sent to Destroy Our Country

DAMASCUS, (ST)-“We pray for peace, security, good and coexistence to all the people of Syria and call on the international community to stop the source of weapons sent to displace our families and to destroy our country, houses, mosques and churches,” Patriarch Youhanna X Yazigi of Antioch and All The East for Greek Orthodox said yesterday during a mass held in a Maaloula church on Easter.

This year’s Easter celebrations in Syria, as in the past four years, were limited to holding prayers and masses due to the acts of terrorism hitting Syria.

The town of Maaloula in Damascus countryside witnessed the holding of masses and prayers calling for peace in Syria and thanking God Almighty for the salvation of Maaloula from the takfiri terrorism which destroyed its churches and mosques.

Patriarch Yaziji hailed President Bashar Al-Assad’s yesterday’s visit to Maaloula and thanked the Syrian Arab Army for restoring security to the town.

“All the destruction and pain caused by the armed terrorist groups to Maaloula, didn’t prevent the Syrians from holding their prayers in the town on the occasion of Easter to call for peace and normal life to all the people of Syria, both Christians and Moslems,” the patriarch said.

Patriarch Gregory III Lahham of Antioch and All East for Greek Melkite Catholic, a number of representatives of Christian denominations in Damascus and the Papal ambassador in Syria took part in the prayers in Maaloula churches. Tourism Minister Bishr Yaziji, Governor of Damascus Countryside Hussein Makhlouf, Moslem scholars and some people of Maaloula neighboring towns and villages attended the prayers

Following the prayers, Patriarch Lahham urged all the Syrians who left their homeland to return and to be engaged in national reconciliation and dialogue to build future Syria.

Prayers and masses were also held on Easter in Damascus and the provinces of Sweida, Tartous, Lattakia, Idleb, Daraa, Homs and Aleppo, to call for adherence to national unity to save Syria and for the abandonment of takfiri terrorism mentality. 

H. Mustafa