Amman  – A summit of the leaders of Churches and Christian communities in the Middle East starts on Tuesday, September 3 in Amman to focus on the many problems and challenges that closely affect the lives of all the baptized in the caos that shakes the entire Middle East region. Seventy among Patriarchs, patriarchal delegates , bishops and priests of all Christian churches rooted in the region will discuss and confront each other for two days in the different study sessions dedicated, among other things, to the recent developments in Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Palestine and Jordan. Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue will participate in the work. 

The initiative, sponsored by the Hashemite Monarchy, has as its main advocate Prince Ghazi bin Mohammad, advisor to the King for Cultural Affairs. "It is significant that the meeting was commissioned by King Abdallah II, who has just returned from an imp ortant meeting with Pope Francis" explains to Fides Agency Archbishop Maroun Laham, Patriarchal Vicar for Jordan of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem of the Latins". The Royal Family of Jordan" adds Msg. Laham "wants to gather opinions and information because they want to offer a concrete contribution to the solution of the problems regarding the plight of so many indigenous Christian communities in the Middle East".

Among the Patriarchs who announced their participation, besides the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Fouad Twal, there is also the Greek-Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch Yohanna X al- Yazigi, resident in Damascus and brother of the Metropolitan of Aleppo Boulos al-Yazigi, abducted last April by kidnappers hitherto unknown along with the Syrian Orthodox Metropolitan of Aleppo Mar Gregorios Yohanna Ibrahim. 

By: Agenzia Fides