Bishop Kevin Doran of Elphin, chairman of the Council for Life of the Irish bishops› conference. Photo: CNS/Irish Catholic Illiana Ochoa Bravo
The Bishop of Elphin and Apostolic Administrator of Achonry has said he is praying for the safety of the Syrian people and for a peaceful transition of power.
Bishop Kevin Doran said on social media that he’s thinking of Johanna Ibrahim, his fellow student at the Irish College in Rome and the former Syriac Orthodox Archbishop of Aleppo, who went missing in 2013. He said Archbishop Ibrahim was involved in Christian-Muslim interfaith dialogue and spoke of “opportunities for reconciliation”.
“He was an outspoken opponent of Bashar al-Assad. He was kidnapped while on a mission of mercy in 2013. I have no idea whether he is dead or alive,” Bishop Doran said.
In recent years, the Diocese of Achonry has been “privileged” to welcome refugees from Syria, said Bishop Doran. “They have sat beside us in school and worked alongside us in the community,” he said.
“Today, we appreciate the mixture of hope and anxiety experienced by our Syrian neighbours as they witness the dramatic developments all across their homeland. We join them in praying for the safety of their families and friends at home, and for a peaceful transition of power to a government which will respect and protect the human rights of all Syrians.”