Patriarch Yazigi Suspends Gulf Tour to Tackle Abduction of Maalula Nuns
Patriarch of Antioch and All the East Youhanna X al-Yazigi condemned on Thursday the abduction of 12 nuns from the Syrian historic town of Maalula, urging the international community to exert efforts to ensure their safe release.
He announced during a press conference the suspension of a tour of Arab Gulf states in order to head to Damascus to follow up on the kidnapping.
“We no longer need condemnations from any side, but actions,” he added.
“We do not want the statements of the regional and international decision-makers, but actions that will release the captives,” he declared.
“We also demand a halt to the violence in Syria and that it would be replaced with peaceful dialogue,” said the patriarch.
“One drop of innocent blood spilled is holier than all the slogans of the world,” added Yazigi.
Syrian rebels this week took 12 nuns from the historic town of Maalula, which has been at the center of fierce fighting for months, to the nearby stronghold of Yabrud.
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