Abducted nuns released in Syria
- Written by E.Tsiliopoulos
The satisfaction of Greece for the release of kidnapped nunsfrom the monastery of St. Thecla in Syria, was expressed in a statement by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos.
In the same statement, Mr. Venizelos welcomed the decision of Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomaios to convene the "Holy Synod" of the Orthodox Churches in 2016, in Athens.
The Orthodox nuns in Syria were abducted since last December, while two other hostages are still missing, the Metropolitans of Aleppo, for which the Greek Foreign Ministry has called for intensified efforts to identify and release.
The full statement of Mr. Venizelos is as follows : "The Synaxis of the Prelates of the Autocephalous Orthodox Churches, held in Constantinople , under the chairmanship of His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomaios, demonstrates the unity of Orthodox Christians in a world full of troubled tension spots and wars.
The Greek Government welcomes the decision to convene the " Holy and Great Synod " in 2016 and followed with a strong interest in the situation of the Orthodox Churches.
At the same time, the government welcomes the release, after concerted efforts, of the nuns who had been abducted from the monastery of St. Thecla in Maaloula last December.
Greece calls on all parties to redouble their efforts to identify and release the kidnapped two Metropolitans of Aleppo."