Assisi Hosts Pope and Patriarchs on World Day of Prayer for Peace

Their Holinesses Pope Francis,Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew,Syriac Orthodox Patriarch Aphrem II,His Grace Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and other religious leaders gathered at Assisi,Italy for the World Day of Prayer for Peace in the Basilica of St.Francis.On a day blessed with clear and sunny skies,the leaders paused to reflect on the numerous wars and conflicts afflicting the world today and beseech God for an end to them.Their was a special emphasis on the Middle East in general and Syria in particular,as well as on the case of the abducted Archbishops of Aleppo in Syria,Greek Orthodox Paul Yazigi and Syriac Orthodox Mor Yohanna Gregorius Ibrahim,who were kidnapped at gunpoint by unknown extremists more than three years ago.
The four hierarchs greeted a number of pilgrims in the cloisters of the Franciscan monastery before assembling with a congregation in the lower Basilica of St.Francis,where the saint is entombed,for a Christian prayer service.At the same time,Muslims and other believers assembled at separate locations to pray according to their own traditions.Finally,all assembled in the Basilica courtyard for final reflections.The Day of Prayer was preceded by a number of other peace discussions and events beginning on Monday.
At one point in the Christian prayer service,an alphabetised list of world conflict zones was read.Each location was remembered with the chant "Kyrie eleison,"which is "Lord have mercy" in Greek,and a candle was lit.From Afghanistan to Mexico,to Yemen and the Holy Land,dozens of violent regions were prayerfully recognised.
To conclude the Christian service,each of the four hierarchs participated in a four-part benediction,or blessing.

Patriarch John X of Antioch to the Middle East Council of Churches-excerpts from his address

On 6 September 2016,His Beatitude Patriarch John X of Antioch and All the East spoke to the general assembly of the Middle East Council of Churches in Amman,Jordan.The MECC is,in turn,a member of the World Council of Churches.At the general assembly,Patriarch John was elected President of the Orthodox Churches which belong to the Council.There are others who serve as Presidents of the Oriental Orthodox;Catholics;and Evangelicals in the Council.For example,His Holiness Patriarch Aphrem II of the Syriac Orthodox Church is President of the Oriental Orthodox.Patriarch John spoke eloquently of their deeply troubled region and of the Middle East Council of Churches' role within it:
We are here to raise our voices against everything done against Christians-and against others,too-in every spot of the East.We are fully aware of what happened to them in Iraq.And we understand the situation in Syria.
We are here to make our cry reach far of our people in Aleppo,Mhardeh and others.What is going on will not make us neglect our land;but it will rather urge us to defend it.We are here to address the whole world in regard to the existence of Christians in the East.We say:we do not appeal to protection;we demand peace.*
The Council is a pattern of open minds through which Eastern Christianity confronts every endeavour to close minds with the protection and sustenance of the Church-civilised heritage of each of its components.We are called to activate the voice of the Council and strengthen it to be continuously the voice for Eastern Christianity at the present time.*
May the Lord bless this East and its countries and give it with the rest of the world a flow of His light and fill the hearts of the participants in this meeting with His abundant and divine mercy,Patriarch John prayed.