Synod of Bishops appeals for peace in Middle East, Africa, and Ukraine

October 26, 2015

Mourning the “victims of unspeakable atrocities,” the Synod of Bishops issued an appeal for peace in the Middle East, Africa, and Ukraine.

“The use of weapons of mass destruction, indiscriminate killings, beheadings, kidnapping of human beings, trafficking in women, the enrolment of children into militias, persecution on the basis of religious belief or ethnicity, the destruction of cultural heritage and countless other atrocities have forced thousands of families to flee their homes in search of refuge elsewhere, often in conditions of extreme precariousness,” the bishops said in their statement, which was issued on October 24.

“Although we are grateful especially to Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and many European countries for the welcome they have granted to refugees, we wish to make a further plea to the international community so that in the search for solutions they set aside particular interests and make use of the tools of diplomacy, dialogue and international law,” the bishops added.

 

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Further information:

• Synod15 - Dichiarazione del Sinodo dei Vescovi sulla situazione in Medio Oriente, Africa e Ucraina (Holy See Press Office)
• Declaration of the Synod of Bishops on the situation in the Middle East, Africa and Ukraine (VIS)