Syrian bishops with HH… one of the topics under discussion was a confab to figure out what to do for the two abducted bishops.
______________________________
On Sunday, two caretaker ministers said that the release of nine Lebanese pilgrims held hostage in Syria raised hopes for the freedom of two Orthodox bishops kidnapped by Syrian rebels in April. Caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel denied earlier reports that the bishops were dead, telling the Daily Star, “The two bishops are alive and are held in an area around Aleppo”. Asked which group in the Syrian opposition was holding them, he said, “We don’t know yet who’s holding the two bishops. We’re trying to determine the group that kidnapped them before launching moves to secure their release”.
On 22 April, armed men kidnapped Aleppo’s Greek Orthodox Archbishop Boulos al-Yazigi and Syriac Orthodox Archbishop Youhanna Ibrahim whilst they were enroute to the northern city from the Turkish border. Reportedly, a small group of rebels holds them in the town of Bshaqtin, 20 kilometres (12.5 miles) northwest of Aleppo. However, Charbel struck an upbeat note about freedom for the two bishops following the release of nine Lebanese pilgrims on Saturday, who returned home from Turkey after spending 17 months captive at the hands of Syrian rebels in the Aleppo region town of Azaz near the Turkish border, saying, “The release of the kidnapped Lebanese in Azaz gives hope for the release of the two bishops”.
Similarly, Caretaker Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour was optimistic about the release of the two bishops following the three-way swap deal that also involved the release of two Turkish Airlines pilots kidnapped in Beirut in August and dozens of Syrian women detained by President Bashar al-Assad’s régime. Mansour told the Daily Star, “There’s hope for the release of all detainees and kidnapped people in Syria. The release of the Lebanese hostages in Azaz could be a prelude toward releasing all the kidnap victims in Syria, including the two bishops”. Noting that Lebanon plays “a humanitarian role” to help secure the freedom of the two bishops, Mansour said, “We should combine local and international efforts, especially with the Syrian authorities and countries that wield influence on the kidnappers, to secure the release of the two bishops”. He added that, so far, the kidnappers hadn’t announced their motive for holding the two bishops or issued any demands for their release. Mansour said, “Lebanon had nothing to do with the kidnapping of the two bishops because the abduction took place on Syrian territory and the two bishops are Syrian citizens. Lebanon only plays a humanitarian role in helping to secure the release of the two bishops”.
Caretaker Defence Minister Fayez Ghosn said that serious efforts were underway to secure the two bishops’ freedom, saying, “Serious efforts are continuing towards eliminating all obstacles in the way to secure their release”. He expressed hope that these efforts would succeed, so that “we could see the two bishops safe, amongst us”. Major General Abbas Ibrahim, head of General Security, who shuttled to and from regional capitals to facilitate negotiations on the release of the Lebanese, promised to continue efforts to secure the two bishops’ freedom. He told reporters after arriving with the nine freed Lebanese at Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport Saturday night, “We have a lot of work to do because the two bishops and others are still [held captive]. The case isn’t finished. Only part of the work is done”.
Maronite Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros al-Rahi voiced hope that the two bishops would gain their freedom following the release of the pilgrims. Mar Bechara said during Sunday Mass in Metn, “We thank God for the release of the nine Lebanese kidnapped in Syria. We celebrate with their families over the joy of their safe return. We particularly pray for the release of Bishops Boulos al-Yazigi and Youhanna Ibrahim … We pray that this human tragedy comes to an end”.
21 October 2013
Hussein Dakroub
The Daily Star (Lebanon)
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2013/Oct-21/235187-hopes-rise-for-abducted-bishops-after-pilgrims-freed.ashx#axzz2iK75i8zs
Voices from Russia 
Hopes Rise for Abducted Bishops after Pilgrims Freed by Syrian Oppos
Tags: Abbas Ibrahim, Adnan Mansour, Aleppo, Antiochian Orthodox Church, Azaz, Bashar al-Assad, Beirut, Christian, Christianity, Christianity in the Middle East, Christians in Middle East, Church of Antioch, Eastern Orthodox Church, Fayez Ghosn, Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch, Lebanon, Mar Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, Maronite Catholic Church, Marwan Charbel, Middle East, Middle Eastern, Oriental Orthodox, Oriental Orthodoxy, Orthodox, Orthodoxy, Patriarchate of Antioch and all the East, political commentary, politics, Religion, Religion and Spirituality, Syria, Syriac Christianity, syriac orthodox church, Syrian Civil War, Syrian Government, Syrian opposition
Syrian bishops with HH… one of the topics under discussion was a confab to figure out what to do for the two abducted bishops.
______________________________
On Sunday, two caretaker ministers said that the release of nine Lebanese pilgrims held hostage in Syria raised hopes for the freedom of two Orthodox bishops kidnapped by Syrian rebels in April. Caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel denied earlier reports that the bishops were dead, telling the Daily Star, “The two bishops are alive and are held in an area around Aleppo”. Asked which group in the Syrian opposition was holding them, he said, “We don’t know yet who’s holding the two bishops. We’re trying to determine the group that kidnapped them before launching moves to secure their release”.
On 22 April, armed men kidnapped Aleppo’s Greek Orthodox Archbishop Boulos al-Yazigi and Syriac Orthodox Archbishop Youhanna Ibrahim whilst they were enroute to the northern city from the Turkish border. Reportedly, a small group of rebels holds them in the town of Bshaqtin, 20 kilometres (12.5 miles) northwest of Aleppo. However, Charbel struck an upbeat note about freedom for the two bishops following the release of nine Lebanese pilgrims on Saturday, who returned home from Turkey after spending 17 months captive at the hands of Syrian rebels in the Aleppo region town of Azaz near the Turkish border, saying, “The release of the kidnapped Lebanese in Azaz gives hope for the release of the two bishops”.
Similarly, Caretaker Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour was optimistic about the release of the two bishops following the three-way swap deal that also involved the release of two Turkish Airlines pilots kidnapped in Beirut in August and dozens of Syrian women detained by President Bashar al-Assad’s régime. Mansour told the Daily Star, “There’s hope for the release of all detainees and kidnapped people in Syria. The release of the Lebanese hostages in Azaz could be a prelude toward releasing all the kidnap victims in Syria, including the two bishops”. Noting that Lebanon plays “a humanitarian role” to help secure the freedom of the two bishops, Mansour said, “We should combine local and international efforts, especially with the Syrian authorities and countries that wield influence on the kidnappers, to secure the release of the two bishops”. He added that, so far, the kidnappers hadn’t announced their motive for holding the two bishops or issued any demands for their release. Mansour said, “Lebanon had nothing to do with the kidnapping of the two bishops because the abduction took place on Syrian territory and the two bishops are Syrian citizens. Lebanon only plays a humanitarian role in helping to secure the release of the two bishops”.
Caretaker Defence Minister Fayez Ghosn said that serious efforts were underway to secure the two bishops’ freedom, saying, “Serious efforts are continuing towards eliminating all obstacles in the way to secure their release”. He expressed hope that these efforts would succeed, so that “we could see the two bishops safe, amongst us”. Major General Abbas Ibrahim, head of General Security, who shuttled to and from regional capitals to facilitate negotiations on the release of the Lebanese, promised to continue efforts to secure the two bishops’ freedom. He told reporters after arriving with the nine freed Lebanese at Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport Saturday night, “We have a lot of work to do because the two bishops and others are still [held captive]. The case isn’t finished. Only part of the work is done”.
Maronite Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros al-Rahi voiced hope that the two bishops would gain their freedom following the release of the pilgrims. Mar Bechara said during Sunday Mass in Metn, “We thank God for the release of the nine Lebanese kidnapped in Syria. We celebrate with their families over the joy of their safe return. We particularly pray for the release of Bishops Boulos al-Yazigi and Youhanna Ibrahim … We pray that this human tragedy comes to an end”.
21 October 2013
Hussein Dakroub
The Daily Star (Lebanon)
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2013/Oct-21/235187-hopes-rise-for-abducted-bishops-after-pilgrims-freed.ashx#axzz2iK75i8zs