CHURCH STATEMENTS ON POSSIBLE ATTACK ON SYRIA RE CHEMICAL WEAPONS

I have compiled a list of Church positions opposing intervention in Syria in one blog along with a selection of other news stories related to Syrian Christians over the course of 2013. Although each of the links below are back to the specific blog each post has at the end the original link to a Church media source or other mainstream media website where they appeared. 

Kind regards
Alan Lonergan
Ireland


CHURCH STATEMENTS ON POSSIBLE ATTACK ON SYRIA RE CHEMICAL WEAPONS
VATICAN: The Vatican's daily on Tuesday blasted western powers for preparing possible military action against Syria despite an ongoing UN investigation into an alleged chemical weapons attack near Damascus.... “Various international actors appear no longer to consider the investigation a determining factor." 27/08/2013 http://orontes.jimdo.com/2013/08/27/vatican-blasts-possible-armed-intervention-in-syria/     
                                                         
VATICAN at the UNITED NATIONS: Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, Permanent Observer of Holy See to the United Nations stated that "There should not be a judgement until there is sufficient proof"...... "What immediate interest would the government in Damascus have in causing such a tragedy?"...... "Experience has shown with Iraq and Afghanistan that armed intervention does not bring any constructive results," he said. 22/08/2013  http://orontes.jimdo.com/2013/08/22/vatican-urges-caution-over-syria-chemical-arms-claims/

PRESIDENT OF CARITAS (Catholic Aid Agency) SYRIA: "If there is an armed intervention, that would mean, I believe, a world war.” Chaldean Bishop of Aleppo, Antoine Audo. 26/08/2013 http://orontes.jimdo.com/2013/08/26/syrian-bishop-warns-intervention-could-spark-world-war/

MELKITE GREEK-CATHOLIC PATRIARCH: “Democracy is built with peace. U.S. attack is a criminal act”....... "Every day - he explains - Islamic extremists from all over the world are pouring into Syria with the sole intent to kill and not one country has done anything to stop them, even the U.S. has decided to send in more weapons." http://orontes.jimdo.com/2013/08/28/gregory-iii-democracy-is-built-with-peace-u-s-attack-is-a-criminal-act/

SYRIAC CATHOLIC CHURCH: Syrian Catholic Patriarch Youssef III Younan “We Syrian Christians, sold by the West for oil.”... In the days when discussing military intervention, the patriarch once again criticizes "the cynical and machiavellian politics" of powers in these two and a half years they have armed the rebels, only to realize that there can be no military solution to the crisis.” 26/08/2013 http://orontes.jimdo.com/2013/08/26/we-syrian-christians-sold-by-the-west-for-oil/

MARONITE CATHOLIC CHURCH LEBANON & THE MIDDLE EAST: The Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Bechara Rai "there is a plan to destroy the Arab world for political and economic interests" 24/08/2013 http://orontes.jimdo.com/2013/08/24/cardinal-rai-christians-always-pay-the-highest-price-in-mideast-conflicts/

RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH: Russian Orthodox Church strongly criticised the US position, which is "completely one-sided.".... "Once again, as was the case in Iraq, the United States is acting as an international executioner" said Metropolitan Hilarion, head of the Department for External Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate...... "Without the endorsement of the United Nations, they want to decide the fate of a whole country of millions of inhabitants." 27/08/2013 http://orontes.jimdo.com/2013/08/27/acting-as-international-executioners-the-us-is-sacrificing-muslims-and-christians-in-syria/

ORTHODOX ARCHBISHOP JERUSALEM: Archbishop Theodosios (Atallah Hanna) of Sebastia Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, "we appeal to all those of goodwill and good intentions in this world to work to prevent any military action against Syria because this will bring more destruction and devastation, murder and the fall of innocent people.” ......”Syrians are the ones who decide the fate of their country without any foreign intervention.” 26/08/2013  http://orontes.jimdo.com/2013/08/26/we-reject-any-military-intervention-in-syria/