Still no word on kidnapped Orthodox prelates in Syria

May 08, 2013

Church leaders in Syria have not been able to establish the whereabouts of two Orthodox bishops who were kidnapped on April 22, or to understand the motive for the abductions.

“We are groping in the dark,” admitted Archbishop Jean-Clement Jeanbart of Aleppo. The Melkite Catholic archdiocese has been seeking to make contact with the kidnappers—to date, without success. Orthodox Church leaders have remained quiet about the matter, hoping to avoid the spread of false or alarming stories.

Archbishop Jeanbart reports that the continuing civil war in Syria has strained the resources of the people in Aleppo, causing shortages of food, fuel, and other resources. With electrical and internet service breaking down, the only communication with the outside world is by cell phones, he said.

 

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Further information:

• Silence still shrouds kidnapped Orthodox prelates. Bishop of Aleppo: We’re groping in the dark (AsiaNews)
• Syrian bishops still in captivity; Christian homes shelled in Aleppo (CWN, 4/29)