Al-Rai reiterates call for political solution in Syria

Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Mar Beshara Boutros Al-Rai reiterated call for peace in Syria and for finding peaceful and diplomatic solutions there. ''What scares us is the confessional wars and violence that we are living in the Middle East,'' Patriarch al-Rai said during his meeting in Romania with Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church. ''We agreed to raise our voices in prayer for peace in the Middle East and the world and for steering away from confessional fears, especially that Muslims and Christians in the region have been living in fraternity and peace long time ago,'' he said. Patriarch Daniel urged work to achieve peace and find a peaceful solution in Syria that replaces wars and violence, citing the need for prayer and work to achieve peace. He also called for help in settling the issue of the two kidnapped bishops in Aleppo, adding that there is no news as to their whereabouts. An armed terrorist group kidnapped the two bishops, Yohanna Ibrahim, head of the Syrian Orthodox Church (in Aleppo) and Boulos Yaziji, head of the Greek Orthodox Church (in Aleppo) at the end of April near Aleppo. Source: SANA