Middle Eastern Catholic patriarchs call for peace, end to emigration

Published: 2007-10-22

BEIRUT, Lebanon (CNS) -- Catholic patriarchs in the Middle East warned that escalating emigration in the region due to sectarian tensions, particularly in Iraq and Lebanon, threatens the coexistence of Muslims and Christians. Peace in the Holy Land is the key to stability in the entire region and would solve the emigration problem, they said in an open letter to the kings and presidents of the Arab world. The patriarchs of the Maronite, Coptic, Melkite, Syrian, Armenian and Chaldean churches and the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem issued the letter Oct. 19 at the conclusion of their 17th annual congress in Ain Traz, Lebanon. The patriarchs pointed out that the Christian presence in the Middle East -- the theme of the congress -- has been affected severely by conflicts in the region. The Christian-Muslim coexistence, which "is a great asset" to both Christians and Muslims, "is in great danger due to the alarming amount of emigration" as a result of war, they said. "The solution to put an end to emigration is to give peace in the Holy Land, which we believe is the key to peace in the whole region," they said.

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