WCC NEWS: 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. 28 February 2022 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.” WCC expresses solidarity with those praying for archbishops of Aleppo (22 April 2020) WCC committee renews call for release of archbishops of Aleppo (10 April 2019) WCC calls for release of archbishops of Aleppo (27 June 2018) See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 349 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 550 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC acting general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, from the Orthodox Church in Romania. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland