His Holiness Calls the Representatives of the Churches in Mosul to a Meeting in the Patriarchal Residence
On July 23, 2014, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II called the representatives of the churches in Mosul to a meeting in the Patriarchal Residence in Atchaneh, Bikfaya – Lebanon to discuss and consult on the current situation in Mosul following the threats and forced immigration that took place recently. The meeting was attended by their Excellencies: Mor Youhanna Jihad Battah, Patriarchal Vicar of the Syriac Catholic Patriarchal Diocese, Michel Kassarji, Chaldean bishop of Lebanon, Fr. Yathroun Kouliana, Priest of the Assyrian Church of the East in Lebanon, Fr. Michel Jalkh, General Secretary of the Middle East Council of Churches, Fr. Carlo Yeshouh, Deacon Jimmy Danho and Mr. Elias Halabi, Associate Secretaries of MECC, Al-Sayyed Raheem Abou Ragheef Al-Mousawi as well as the Ambassador of Iraq in Lebanon Dr. Raad Al-Aloussi, and the Consul of Iraq in Lebanon Dr. Waleed Abdelqader Al-Issa. From our Syrian Orthodox Church, the following were present: Their Eminences Mor Theophilus George Saliba, Archbishop of Mount Lebanon and Tripoli and General Secretary of the Holy Synod, Mor Justinus Boulos Safar, Patriarchal Vicar of Zahleh and Bekaa, Mor Clemis Daniel Kourieh, Metropolitan of Beirut, Mor Dionysius Jean Kawak, Patriarchal Office Director, Mor Chrysostomos Mikhael Shemoun, Director of the Patriarchal Benevolent Institutions in Atchaneh, and Mr. Habib Afram, President of the Syriac League in Lebanon and President of the Union of Christian Leagues in Lebanon, along with Mr. Ghassan Al-Shami.
His Holiness had called His Eminence Mor Nicodemus Daoud Sharaf, Archbishop of Mosul and Environs, to listen to his evaluation of the recent developments and inquire about the pressing needs of the displaced faithful. His Holiness assured him that he and all the members of the church condemn the terroristic acts and threats to our Christian people in Mosul.
At the beginning of the meeting, His Holiness received a phone call from His Excellency Mr. Gibran Bassil, Minister of Foreign Affairs in Lebanon. His Holiness asked him to deliver our message and condemnation to the international community especially the United Nations through the ministry of Foreign Affairs.
His Holiness Patriarch Aphrem II then called His Eminence Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rai, Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and His Beatitude John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East to consult them on the practical steps that could be taken to support the Christians in Mosul, ease their suffering and stop the persecutions that they are undergoing.
After the meeting, His Holiness Patriarch Aphrem II delivered a message in a press conference to the displaced faithful in Mosul and called the international organizations and the Iraqi government in particular to give their support (the message will be published in a separate link).