Bishop of Aleppo: Concern over fate of two Syrian archbishops kidnapped one month
ago
(Vatican Radio) It’s exactly one month since two Syrian Orthodox archbishops were
kidnapped near the city of Aleppo. The Greek Orthodox archbishop of Aleppo Yohanna
Ibrahim and his Syriac Orthodox counterpart Boulos Yazaji were seized by gunmen while
travelling back from the Turkish border. No group has claimed responsibility for
their abduction. The Catholic Chaldean bishop of Aleppo, Antoine Audo spoke to Susy
Hodges about their growing concern over the fate of the two prelates.
Listen
to the extended interview with Bishop Antoine Audo:
Bishop Audo
describes how he and other Catholic churchmen attended an ecumenical prayer service
last weekend in Aleppo’s Greek Orthodox Cathedral to pray for the safe release of
the two kidnapped prelates. He said it was a “sad” occasion …with “some people crying”
or with “tears in their eyes.” Bishop Audo says the Christian community in Syria
is highly concerned and baffled as to why the two archbishops were kidnapped but
doesn’t believe it was because their captors are seeking a ransom for their release.
“It’s not a question of money” , he says, as no demand has been put forward for a
ransom.