Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Geneva (Agenzia Fides) – In the Syrian conflict "there is no military solution"; "an immediate cessation of all hostilities and armed clashes on the Syrian territory" is urgent; humanitarian assistance must be ensured; the right way is to "develop a comprehensive and inclusive process for the establishment of peace and rebuild Syria": are the recommendations by the World Council of Churches (WCC), which gathered about 30 religious leaders in Geneva, in view of the "Geneva 2" Conference, scheduled on January 22.
The Council has drawn up a document - sent to Fides Agency - to be delivered to the UN envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, to the Arab League and to others present at the conference.
"There is no time to waste: too many people have died or have had to leave their home", explained Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit, general Secretary of the WCC, presenting the text and explaining that "Churches speak with one voice": leaders of the Church of the Middle East, the Vatican, Russia, United States, other European countries belonging to Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant and Anglican denominations participated in the drafting of the document.
"We are the silent majority of Syrians who want peace", stated the Catholic Aram I, head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, ensuring political leaders "the full support of all the Churches for your crucial mission".
The WCC believes that "the churches can mobilize international opinion condemning everything that is wrong in this situation and arguing that the supreme good is peace".
The meeting of the WCC was accompanied by an ecumenical prayer to express solidarity with the people of Syria and to ask God for the gift of reconciliation. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 18/01/2014)
