Reiterating St Paul’s exhortation, “we pursue peace”, His Eminence Archbishop Makarios appeals for an end to violence and bloodshed in the Holy Land, while declaring the correlation and identification of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia with the Ecumenical Patriarchate, which continually defends and seeks dialogue, reconciliation and the prevalence of peace.
His Eminence in his statement about the tragic events taking place in the last few days in the Middle East, writes:
“Untold sadness has gripped all our hearts at the Holy Archdiocese of Australia as we become spectators to the horrific events of violence that have taken place in the Holy Land in the last twenty-four hours. Untold sadness as we reflect that the places where our Lord Jesus Christ walked, teaching love, peace and respect for one’s neighbour, have converted, once again, into a “theatre” of fierce conflicts and bloodshed.
Naturally, our thoughts are primarily directed to the victims of this new cycle of violence, particularly the civilian population on both sides, and we pray that God will strengthen the families of those who have perished and all who continue to experience moments of anguish and uncertainty at the centre of the deadly conflict.
Moreover, we pray that all hostilities in the Holy Land end as soon as possible, beseeching the Lord to enlighten the minds and spirits of the leaders of the warring factions, as well as the heads of the powerful nations, so that the decisions they take and the actions which proceed to be inspired by the pursuit of the prevalence of peace.
Reiterating St Paul’s exhortation, “we pursue peace”, we raise our voice from distant Australia, to join that of the Mother Church and our Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, which continually praises the value of dialogue, reconciliation and peace between peoples, nations and religions”.
