Rebels including al-Qaeda-linked fighters gained control of a Christian village northeast of the capital Damascus, Syrian activists said on Sunday. Reports quoting government media said a scenic mountain community known for being one of the few places in the world where residents still speak the ancient Middle Eastern language of Aramaic was attacked by the Read more
Pope Francis has written to Vladimir Putin criticising world leaders for standing by while a “senseless massacre” unfolded in Syria. In a letter sent on Sept 4 to Mr Putin in his role of host of the G20 conference, and published on Thursday, Francis wrote: “It is regrettable that, from the very beginning of the Read more
The most recent comments by United States President Barack Obama regarding a possible military intervention in Syria indicate views at odds with just war theory – the doctrine emerging from moral philosophy surrounding the just use of military force. On Saturday, President Obama expressed his desire to “hold the Assad regime accountable for their use Read more
The Vatican is ramping up its opposition to threatened military strikes against Syria. The Vatican has invited all ambassadors accredited to the Holy See to attend a briefing Thursday on the pope’s agenda for the four-hour vigil for peace on Saturday. Pope Francis on Wednesday urged Catholics and non-Catholics alike to participate in Saturday’s vigil, Read more
Pope Francis rejected war and exhorted all sides to put an end to hostilities and seek peace in Syria. “No more wars. The use of violence never leads to peace. War calls for war, violence calls for violence,” the pope said over the weekend as the United States and its allies prepared to attack Damascus. Read more
The Vatican’s official daily this week criticized global powers for preparing possible military action against Syria despite an ongoing UN investigation into an alleged chemical weapons attack near Damascus. “The tones are becoming ever more drastic and the action being taken by the United Nations appears subjected to a sort of crossfire,” the newspaper said. Read more
Pope Francis on Sunday called for a solution to the civil war in Syria as he admitted being disturbed by “terrible images” of atrocities in the country. The pope told people gathered in St. Peter’s Square that Syrian and rebel forces must put down their arms. He urged the international community to “put all its Read more
The Vatican and the Italian government early this week said they could not confirm a media report that abducted Jesuit priest Paolo Dall’Oglio had been executed by his captors. ”We have not received any information about this and we cannot confirm it, the deputy director of the Vatican press office, Ciro Benedettini, told Adnkronos. ”Obviously, Read more
The fate of a Jesuit priest who went missing in northern Syria last month remains unknown, Italy’s foreign minister said on Friday. “We have been receiving various reports that turn out to have no substance and which often appear aimed at derailing the investigation,” said Foreign Minister Emma Bonino. “We are dealing with warring groups,” Read more
Now that Syria is in shambles—with an estimated 93,000 dead, 1.5 million refugees, and 4.5 million internally displaced; ancient churches torched, destroyed, or vandalized; Christians targeted for murder and kidnapping and even used as human shields—now the mainstream media is starting to admit that, yes, the rebel forces appear to include quite a few Islamist Read more