WCC News: WCC expresses solidarity with churches and people of Syria

World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay called for prayers and support for Syrians undergoing profound and unforeseen changes.  Refugees and migrants--including entire families--walk through the Hungarian town of Hegyeshalom on their way to the border where they will cross into Austria (2015). Hundreds of thousands of refugees and migrants from Syria, Iraq and other countries flowed through Hungary on their way to western Europe. Photo: Paul Jeffrey/ACT Alliance 10 December 2024 “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 said. “The Syrian people have endured more than a decade of war, displacement, and loss through the devastating armed conflict that followed the brutal suppression of peaceful protests in 2011.” In the intervening years, Pillay noted, 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,” said Pillay. “Through the challenges of this transitional moment, we appeal to all members of the international community, and all WCC member churches and ecumenical and interfaith partners, to provide the support and assistance needed by Syrians displaced or in need.”  Pillay also appealed for external actors to refrain from intervening by armed force or other means that deprive the Syrian people from realizing their aspirations for a just, sustainable and democratically inclusive peace in their own nation. He added, “This is the time to assist Syria gain stability and peace rather than to exploit the situation for one’s own gains.” Pillay urged an immediate end to the sanctions that have caused such harm to the Syrian population.  “May the God of peace inspire and guide us as we work towards a future rooted in love and justice,” he said. The WCC has accompanied for the last ten years Syrians throughout their quest for transformation, democratic change, and diversity through the project “Twenty principles for living together” as a framework for democracy. Read the WCC statement on developments in Syria 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 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland