Peace appeals from Orthodox Bishops and Organizations since the Iraq War began
Patriarch Ignatius: an appeal to help the afflicted
From the Patriarch of Antioch, Ignatius IV,
Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East
This is a time of fear and sorrow for many. As Church leaders of the Middle East we spoke in one voice. We, Orthodox Christians of the Patriarchate of Antioch, are concerned for the people of Iraq as the unjust war against their country intensifies. The voices of Churches, and millions of people of good will, opposing the immoral and illegal use of force was unheard. We have repeatedly stated that such a unilateral and preemptive action, where the logic of might prevails, is a defeat of international law and diplomacy, with grave consequences for the world. The war causes, in our region and well beyond, great pain and anger. It must stop. As people of faith this is our cry today.
Many Iraqis are, and will be, displaced. Many are threatened in their lives and possessions. The present war continues their long-enduring suffering. We pray for all the Iraqis, our spiritual children, the Antiochian Orthodox, and their compatriots, Christians and Muslims. We urge our faithful and our friends to express solidarity and support generously the humanitarian efforts that our Church, in coordination with other Churches, towards the relief of the afflicted.
May the Lord of Peace bless you all.
Ignatius IV
Patriarch of Antioch and all the East
March 24th, 2003
SCOBA Hierarchs Issue Appeal For Prayer
We, the hierarchs of the Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas are compelled by our spiritual obligation as peacemakers, to express the anguish in our hearts that, once again, due to the presence of sin and evil in the world, nations and people of faith have been unable to avoid a dreadful confrontation.
As heads of Orthodox Christian communities in North America we are compelled to call our pious clergy and faithful to pray for peace and for respect of the sanctity of all human persons.
We ask our churches to open their doors during this season of the Great Lent for people to enter, light a candle, and pray for peace and reconciliation among nations.
We exhort our faithful to pray for all the people who live in areas of conflict, for the innocent women, children and elderly who live in places of high risk and harm, for those in flight, for refugees throughout the region who join others on a journey of profound uncertainty.
We pray for the security and well-being of our military personnel, for advisors and diplomats, and for families at home, who must live in fear for the safety of their loved ones.
We pray for our President and all civil authorities, for their discernment and divine guidance during this difficult time.
This tragic war, combined with the threat to security at home, has created enormous fear and anxiety throughout the world. Only the Prince of Peace, who said “My peace I give to you” (Lk 14:27), can allay this fear and anxiety.
Please know, dearly beloved that our humanitarian aid agency, the International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC), has already prepared itself to address the tremendous needs that will confront the world in the days ahead. This response will include the distribution of “survival packs” to persons fleeing Iraq, provisions of medical assistance to ill or disabled refugees in Jordan, and the distribution of humanitarian relief within Iraq. We urge you to help IOCC in this massive philanthropic effort.
May the peace and love of God be with all of you.
With paternal love and blessings,
+Archbishop DEMETRIOS, Chairman
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
+Metropolitan HERMAN
Orthodox Church in America
+Metropolitan PHILIP, Vice Chairman
Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America
+Archbishop NICOLAE
Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese in America and Canada
+Metropolitan CHRISTOPHER, Secretary
Serbian Orthodox Church in the USA and Canada
+Metropolitan JOSEPH
Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Church
+Metropolitan NICHOLAS of Amissos
American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese in the USA
+Metropolitan CONSTANTINE
Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA
+Bishop ILIA of Philomelion
Albanian Orthodox Diocese
April 2, 2003
The IOCC toll-free telephone number to call is 1-877-803-4622.
Make a gift on-line at www.iocc.org/iraq
Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana: Is Religion to Be Another Victim of this War?
Declaration Regarding the Iraq War by Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana, Durres and All Albania
Long is the list of victims from the war in Iraq: women and children, soldiers fallen or about to fall in battle, the international economy, international legitimacy, the U.N., truth and justice, and many others — whether by direct or indirect means. Religion, too, is in danger of becoming one of these victims. Leaders of both sides have already used religious terms, by invoking God. In our time, religions continue to influence people, but do not determine the decisions of political and economic leaders. These decisions are made on the basis of different calculations and interests.
Religious consciousness, however, is called upon to resist war, so that religion retains its sacred role of peacemaking, reconciliation, forgiveness and the healing of wounds.
At the numerous interfaith conferences that have taken place over the last few years, representatives of different faiths have agreed that religion has to bring peace and support peace in the world; that violence and terrorism –individual, group or state-initiated — are against the true spirit of religion; and they have condemned, in particular, invoking God’s will to justify violence and war.
At the same time, these participants have undertaken the responsibility to make the cries of those who are suffering from violence their own, and contribute their utmost in securing the freedom and dignity of every person and of all peoples.
The blowing winds of war must not sweep away the sacredness of religion, contaminating the hearts of people with bitterness and enmity for each other’s religion. Much greater catastrophes than those caused by weapons of mass destruction could be produced by the incitement of religious intolerance. The radioactivity of hatred, enriched by the ‘uranium’ of religious passion, will last long after hostilities have ceased, for decades, maybe even for centuries — as was the case of the Crusades and “holy wars” in the past.
Those who believe in “the God of peace” (Rom 15:33; Phil 4:9; Hebr 13:20, etc.), and particularly those who have committed themselves to serving Him, cannot help but repeat insistently the supplication “for peace in the whole world”, and strive to do whatever is possible to let justice and peace prevail on earth.
31st March, 2003
Communique by the Heads of Churches in the Middle East
It saddens us profoundly to see the failure of efforts for peace in Iraq exerted by many parties throughout the world. In fact, governments, Christian and Muslim religious leaders, the World Council of Churches and regional councils of churches, and millions of people crying out in various cities throughout the world worked for a peaceful solution to prevail over the solution of war. Today we have witnessed the start of a military campaign against the people and the land of Iraq. Nobody knows how long it will last or what impact it will have not just upon the people of Iraq but also upon the entire Middle East. Furthermore, there is no predicting the impact that the unilateral American decision for war will have upon the United Nations and international organizations, their credibility and their effectiveness in solving conflicts through negotiated agreements. They will be severely weakened, their authority shaken, their very existence threatened.
Churches around the world condemned this war as immoral. They have said this firmly and with conviction ever since this crisis began to develop. More specifically, they have condemned this war for its disregard of principles of international law, its ambivalence to the most basic human values and rights, its potential for tragic human repercussions in Iraq and the Middle East region, as well as its threat of aggravating tensions between religions, giving substance to the false thesis that there is an inevitable clash of civilizations, cultures and religions.
What we feared and labored to avert has happened. Now, in our responsibility as heads of churches, caretakers of God’s creation and as fellow humans, we have added responsibilities, and as such:
* We will continue to exert our efforts with all parties concerned and all who may have an effective voice both internationally and regionally so as to limit the temporal and geographical expansion of the war, spare innocent civilians, and bring it to a halt as quickly as possible.
* We call especially upon those governments that opposed this war and upon international organizations concerned with health, relief, development and human rights to hasten in helping those who have been hit by this war, helping them avert the dangers that threaten their lives, their possessions, and their right to live a dignified life.
* We urge the Middle East Council of Churches and all humanitarian organizations to remain on a state of high alert in marshalling, intensifying and directing social and humanitarian services both now and for as long as required in order to help those stricken by this war, especially in Iraq.
* We call on all the members of our churches and all citizens of our countries to strengthen their unity and solidarity with each other, resisting all foreign incursions and self- interested, extremist interferences that seek to undermine our national unity and fraternal coexistence.
* We call upon our faithful, our fellow citizens, and all who love peace throughout the world, each in his or her own way, to lift up their hearts in ardent and sustained prayer to our God that He may open the eyes and clear the vision of political decision-makers to see clearly God’s will and work for a just, comprehensive and lasting peace, not only for Iraq but also for the Middle East and the whole world.
Beirut, 21 March 2003
Patriarch Ignatius Zakka I Iwas
Catholicos Aram I
Patriarch Ignatius IV Hazim
Archbishop Chrysothomos
Cardinal Nasrallah Butros Sfeir
Patriarch Nerses Pedros XIX
Patriarch Ignatious Butros VIII
Patriarch Gregorious III Lahham
Patriarch Michel Sabbah
Cardinal Istephanos II Ghattas
Patriarch Raphael Bedawid
Archbishop Kirollos Selim Bustoros
Rev. Dr. Selim Sahiouny
Bishop Riah Abul Asal
Bishop Munir Hanna
Rev. Dr. Safwat al-Baiady
Rev. Dr. Ikram Lamii
Rev. Adib Awad
Rev. Mograditch Kerakozian
Patriarch Alexis: They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind
March. 17, 2003
Statement by Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia
And the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church
On the Situation Around Iraq
For the last several months the world has lived in a situation of growing tension around Iraq. The USA with the support of Great Britain and some other countries are planning to launch large-scale military actions against this country, trying to justify them by the danger of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
The Russian Orthodox Church, along with all people of good will, is concerned about the proliferation and the use of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction. Many religious leaders have repeatedly stressed that the observance of international norms in this areas is one of the essential conditions for peace on the planet.
Insisting on a peaceful diplomatic way of settling this problem in Iraq, our Church has repeatedly called to lift up the economic sanctions from this country as they have already led to the suffering of civilians, especially sick people and children. In the context of efforts made by the world public to strengthen peace in the Middle East, we have established a dialogue with the religious, public and political leaders in Iraq.
In the course of the dialogue we stressed the necessity of taking such measures by Iraqi government that will remove all doubts of the international community regarding the war potential of this country. The decision to resume the work of international inspectors was accepted with satisfaction by the majority of people on our planet because that meant the choice for a peaceful way of settling the existing problems.
Today there are no reasons for stopping the mission of international inspectors and commencing military operations. Nations cannot be deprived of a chance to establish peace.
The war in Iraq will inevitably lead to the death and suffering of a tremendous number of innocent people, as always in such a case civilians like children, women, old people will be injured, there will be thousands of refugees. It is absolutely obvious that military operations in this oil production region can turn out to be a global ecological catastrophe. All this may blow up the situation in the Middle East, creating a threat to peace and stability in the whole world.
Today the Russian Orthodox Church addresses appeal to the governments of those countries on which the decision to begin or not to begin war depends to do all that is possible to avoid an armed conflict.
For the actions that are taken without considering the opinion of the international community, the opinion of a majority of people on the Earth, destroy the existing system of international law and inter-governmental institutions. The first blow on its foundations was already struck by the bombing of Yugoslavia, which was initiated without the sanction of the United Nations and which led to destruction and death of thousands of people in the very center of Europe. Now another action is being prepared, which can turn the existing world order into ashes. The violation of legal norms sows chaos and arbitrariness, for lawlessness always generates more lawlessness. “They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind” (Hos.8:7), says Holy Scriptures.
Our Church supports the efforts of the governments, spiritual and public leaders in various countries who have come out against the military operations and rejects the attempts to justify this war. We call upon the nations of the world to stop military preparations against Iraq, to prevent bloodshed of innocent people. We plead the God “to guide our feet into the way of peace” (Lk. 1:79) and to protect the biblical earth of Iraq against the fire of war.
Moscow, 17 March 2003, Saint Daniel Monastery
The celebration of the 700th anniversary of the falling asleep in the Lord of saint prince Daniel of Moscow
http://www.russian-orthodox-church.org.ru/ne303171.htm
Patriarch Alexis: Stop the bloodshed
Statement by Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia On the Beginning of Military Operation Against Iraq
Early in today’s morning, the British-American coalition has launched missile and bombing strikes against Iraqi cities. This happened in defiance to the opinion of the UN Security Council, the majority of the world community members and religious leaders who had opposed a military solution of the problems around Iraq.
The Russian Orthodox Church has exerted herself to establish dialogue with the Iraqi leaders. It was immediately before the operation that our delegation together with Russia’s Muslims visited Baghdad with a peace mission. This visit testified to the solidarity of the Russian faithful with the Iraqi people and showed that the use of force is not to be explained by the confrontation between Christianity and Islam and that this conflict has no religious roots. However, our efforts have proved vain. The military machine has been started up.
The operation has already caused first human victims in Iraq. If the operation continues, they will inevitably grow in number. Civilians, both Muslims and Christians, will die not only of bombs, but also of deprivations that always accompany military actions. It is foreseeable that cultural monuments and shrines associated with the biblical history will be damaged. The hearts of the Russian Orthodox faithful are filled with sympathy for the suffering Iraqi nation: children, women, old, sick and infirm people.
On this tragic day, our Church urges the countries neighboring to Iraq: Do not refuse aid to refugees, give asylum to victims and comfort them with your sincere affection.
The Russian Orthodox Church once again calls upon the governments of the anti-Iraq coalition member-states: Stop bloodshed! Make your best to prevent military actions form expanding. Resume peace negotiations. Spare thousands of innocent people. I call everyone, who is capable to contribute to the cessation of war, to make his best to put an end to it as soon as possible.
I offer up my prayers to God that He may establish peace in the Middle East. May the Lord grant us wisdom for settling the situation in Iraq and around this country.
March 20, 2003
Moscow
Russian Orthodox Church
Department for External Church Relations, Office of Communication
22, Danilovsky val
St.Danilov monastery
113191 Moscow, Russia
Internet: http://www.russian-orthodox-church.org.ru
E-mail address: commserv@mospat.dol.ru
Patriarch Bartholomew: Respect the sanctity of the human person
March 19, 2003
In these very critical days through which humanity proceeds, the Ecumenical Patriarchate repeats again its wish and prayer for peace and for the avoidance of war even in this last moment. It makes a plea to whoever is able to contribute to this end to exhaust all of their means so that humanity will not mourn new victims and horrible holocausts.
With this opportunity, the Ecumenical Patriarchate reminds everyone that the basic prerequisite of peace is the respect for the sanctity of the human person and his freedom and dignity. From this respect are born all other prerequisites for the peaceful co-existence of all human beings on Earth in the love of one God and Father, who is not a God of war and battle but of reconciliation and peace.
May peace and good will be established permanently on Earth for the glory of God and the prosperity of all human beings, whom God loves equally.
Bartholomew
At the Patriarchate, Istanbul, March 19, 2003
Syndesmos: attacks took place when a peaceful solution was still possible
Statement of the World Fellowship of Orthodox Youth on the war against Iraq
In the name of justice and liberation, two governments have taken up arms against Iraq. Shadows of death and suffering are covering this ancient biblical land already devastated by oppression.
The attacks took place when a peaceful solution was still possible. It would have required time, persistence, wisdom, statesmanship and patience. The causes that have been proclaimed in order to justify this aggression cannot justify the suffering of civilians that we see in Baghdad and other cities in Iraq.
As Orthodox Christian young people from all local Orthodox Churches, we reject the military campaign that was launched on March 19 as the solution for the necessary disarmament of the Saddam Hussein regime, as we always reject violence and hatred in any form, provoked by any government or individual. We fear that seeds of hatred are being sown that may poison the lives of generations to come.
Our Lord, the God of Love — but God of Justice as well, heeds the voices of the suffering, just as in ancient times He heeded the cry of His enslaved people by the rivers of Babylon. As the descendants of Abraham in the New Covenant, as the youth of His People, we declare that the death or suffering of the innocent will not make this world a more just or safe place to live. The fruit of the Lord’s righteousness is peace (Is. 32:17). This is the truth and justice that all leaders involved must pursue.
We also express our concern for the safety and wellbeing of the Orthodox Christians of the troubled region of the Middle East and the lands of the ancient Patriarchal Sees.
In this holy period of Great Lent, Christians all over the world are following the Lord into His suffering, death and Resurrection. We pray that the light of His Resurrection inspire the hearts of those in power to seek peace and stop this war. We call upon those who fight to exercise mercy. We pray that our Lord Jesus Christ may protect, preserve and comfort the Holy Churches of the East.
Athens, 28 March 2003
SYNDESMOS, The World Fellowship of Orthodox Youth, was founded in 1953 in France by a group of young Orthodoxtheologians who sought to strengthen the witness and unity of the Orthodox Church. SYNDESMOS works with the blessing and support of the heads of all Orthodox Churches to encourage deeper reflection, renewal and witness of Orthodox Christianity. In fifty years, SYNDESMOS has grown into an internationally recognised fellowship of 126 youth movements and theological schools in 42 countries. Still it remains a youthful and dynamic movement focusing on youth, Orthodox unity and fellowship.
SYNDESMOS General Secretariat
PO Box 66051, Holargos 15510, Greece
Tel: +302106560991, Fax: +302106560992
email: syndesmos@syndesmos.org
web: http://www.syndesmos.org
A response to the Iraq War from the Orthodox Peace Fellowship in North America
A Confession of Complicity in response to the war in Iraq issued by the Council of the Orthodox Peace Fellowship in North America
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
– Jesus Christ
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
– the Orthodox Christian Jesus Prayer
“Acquire the spirit of peace, and thousands around you will be saved.”
– St Seraphim of Sarov
Forgive us, Lord, for shedding each other’s blood, for You shed Your blood for all of us.
Forgive us, Lord for destroying life, for You came that we might have more abundant life.
Forgive us, Lord, for justifying destruction as if we were creating something good.
Forgive us, Lord, for seeking forgiveness, but failing to forgive.
Have mercy on us, Lord! Heal us and all Your world, and save us!
