Greek Orthodox Bishop Declares War On Syrian Rebels

By Hellas Frappe

(Yalibnan) - According to a Middle Eastern newspaper, Bishop Luqa al-KhouryAuxiliary, Bishop at the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East Luqa al-Khoury, has declared war on the Syrian rebels by calling on the Christians to carry arms to defend Syria and its its churches and monasteries.

         “Our men are ready and their fingers are on the trigger.”

He warned the rebels

         "I urge every Christian man capable of carrying weapons to defend Syria and its churches and monasteries that are being vandalized by armed groups,” Khoury said in remarks published in Az-Zaman newspaper at the weekend. “We will not stand by idly,” the cleric stressed.

He also noted that the men are “waiting for instructions from the Patriarchate,” but stressed that “we will wait for two days, not more, until we start acting.”

Christian places of worship are being subject to attacks by Syrian rebels, drawing international condemnation against the vandalism of religious sites.

Last Monday, 13 nuns were reported missing from Maaloula north of Damascus after rebel forces, including jihadists, seized control of the Christian town. (It should be noted that Maaloula is one of the few places on earth where Aramaic is spoken, which is the language of Jesus Christ)

At the Vatican, Pope Francis called for prayers for the nuns missing from the Greek Orthodox Mar Takla convent in Maalula and “for all kidnap victims in the conflict.”

Just before the weekend the nuns resurfaced in a video, saying that they had left with rebels to escape shelling in the area and were safe.

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