Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II & Oriental Orthodox Primates Visit His Excellency German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier

His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II met His Excellency President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, President of the Federal Republic of Germany, at Bellevue Palace Residence in Berlin.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of Saint Mark Episcopate for the Coptic Orthodox Church, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, and Catholicose Mor Baselios Marthoma Paulose II, Catholicose of the Indian Orthodox Church also met His Excellency.

During the meeting, their Holinesses expressed to His Excellency the suffering of Christians in the Middle East due to continuous persecution. They asked the help of Germany in finding peaceful solutions for the wars especially in Syria, Iraq, and Egypt.

His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II requested the assistance of His Excellency regarding the two abducted Archbishops of Aleppo their Eminences Boulos Yaziji and Mor Gregorius Youhanna Ibrahim.

His Excellency showed his compassion to the Christians in the Middle East, and affirmed that Germany has done and is still doing what it can to support Christians and minimize their suffering.

His Holiness was accompanied by their Eminences Mor Philoxenus Mattias Nayis, Patriarchal Vicar in Germany, and Mor Julius Hanna Aydin Director of Foreign Affairs in the Diocese of Germany, as well as Very Rev. Raban Joseph Bali, Patriarchal Secretary and Media Office Director.

Source: OCP