Patriarch Yazigi: Armed Terrorist Groups behind Tragedies in the Region

Beirut, (ST) – Patriarch of Antioch and All the East for Greek Orthodox John X Yazigi has warned against the acts of intimidation, murder, destruction and displacement in the region, calling on its people to prioritize their own interest by challenging these acts.

Presiding over a Mass in “Our Lady” church in Balamand in Lebanon, in the presence of crowd of dignitaries and believers from Lebanon and abroad, Patriarch Yazigi denounced injustice and pain, anxiety and instability prevailing in the region amid the darkness of enemy projects.

The Patriarch indicated tragedies of citizens in the countries of the region as a result of the crimes of armed terrorist organizations, pointing out that “wherever we meet people, whether in Homs, Syria or in Balamand monastery, in Tripoli in Beirut and other areas in Iraq, and the Gulf, we see the whole world is boiling, still seeking peace and safety.

He stressed that a real revolution lies in reforming our souls and cleansing ourselves and behavior, calling for stopping killing, intimidation and atonement, so as to organize and elevate human life and establish Peace and tranquility in the heart and life of each of us.

Patriarch Yazigi denounced the international silence on the continued abduction of Bishops Paul Yazigi, Metropolitan of Aleppo and Iskenderun and Surroundings for the Greek Orthodox church and John Ibrahim Metropolitan of Aleppo and its surroundings of the Syriac Orthodox church.

Patriarch Yazigi had repeatedly stressed that challenging tyranny and injustice in the region as a result of terrorism and Takfirism requires dedication for the good, calling on the international community to stop exporting terrorism, barbarism, falsifying facts and making fake statements calling to embrace the Christians of the East, stressing that Syria is steadfast, thanks to the steadfastness of its leadership, people and army and will remain a source of light.

T.  Fateh