CELRA: message of support to Aleppo's Christians

(Vatican Radio) On August 27, 2012, the Conference of Latin Bishops of the Arab Regions (CELRA) sent a letter to Bishop Giuseppe Nazzaro, OFM, Latin Apostolic Vicar of Aleppo, Syria and to the Christians of Syria and environs. According to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, Bishop Nazzaro’s proposal for the signing of a message for peace will be accepted at next CELRA Plenary in Amman, Jordan. The following is the text of CELRA’s letter to Bishop Nazzaro:
27 August 2012
The Most Reverend Giuseppe Nazzaro, OFM
Latin Apostolic Vicar of Aleppo
Syria
Your Excellency,
News from Syria transmitted daily by news agencies are war bulletins are disturbing and cause for major concern to the international community. Unfortunately, violence on the ground has not stopped. Thousands of people are victims of fratricidal violence, tens of thousands of refugees leave their country, millions of people live in poverty in the present situation and the uncertainty of the future.
We, the Latin Bishops of the Arab Regions strongly condemn the escalating violence in Syria which terribly affects Christians, ecclesial structures of your Apostolic Vicariate, Catholic Dioceses and other Christian churches. We express our closeness and solidarity with you and all who serve with you – the priests, men and women religious and the faithful. The precarious situation in which you live is a cause of suffering and concern for us.
Supported by the belief that “ violence can not last forever, ” we assure the clergy and the faithful that we are in union through intercessory prayers, that the Lord enlighten the minds and open the hearts of the international community to find the path of dialogue between government of Syria and the opposition in Damascus.
Your Excellency, we look forward and hope you will be with us in Amman at the next CELRA Plenary Conference on September 17 to 20, 2012. Your testimony will be most valuable, and your presence in the torchlight procession and prayer during which we read, sign and decide on a message of reconciliation and peace.
May the paternal presence of our God of all consolation protect, strengthen and support you.
CELRA Members:
H.B. Fouad Twal, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem
H. E. Archbishop Paul Dahdah, Apostolic Vicar of Lebanon
H. E. Jean Sleiman, Archbishop of Baghdad
H. E. Giorgio Bertin, Bishop of Djibouti, Apostolic Administrator of Mogadishu
H.E. Archbishop Paul Hinder, Apostolic Vicar of Arabia
H. E. Bishop Camillo Ballin, Apostolic Vicar of Kuwait
H.E. Bishop Adel Zaki, Apostolic Vicar of Alexandria of Egypt
H.E. Bishop Maroun Lahham, Latin Patriarchal Vicar for Jordan
H.E. Bishop Giacinto-Boulos Marcuzzo, Latin Patriarchal Vicar for Israel
H.E.Bishop William Shomali, Latin Patriarchal Vicar for Jerusalem and Palestine
Very Rev. Evencio Diaz Herrera,OFM, Latin Patriarchal Vicar for Cyprus
Very Rev. David Neuhaus,SJ, Latin Patriarchal Vicar for Hebrew-speaking community in Israel
Rev. Pietro Felet, SCJ, Secretary General