10 February 2014

Pray for the Nuns of Maaloula

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Be sure to continue to pray for the safekeeping and the immediate release of the Orthodox nuns who were kidnapped and are being held by "Syrian rebels".  The nuns' convent is in the Aramaic-speaking city of Maaloula, Syria.

Zenit.org reports:
Monastery of St. Thekla, Maaloula

DAMASCUS, February 10, 2014 (Zenit.org) - A group of Greek Orthodox nuns taken captive from their convent in the historic Syrian town of Maaloula have appeared in a new video. 
The video of the nuns, who were taken at gunpoint by rebel forces from Mar Takla convent in early December, is reported to have been filmed on Feb. 5. It was shown on the television channel Al Jazeera on Sunday. 
The clip has no sound, but a commentator said "they say they are in good health, haven't been mistreated... and they are waiting for their release to return to the convent".   

Also, remember to pray for the kidnapped Orthodox bishops to be kept safe and released as soon as possible:
Aleppo’s Greek Orthodox Archbishop Paul Yazigi and Syriac Orthodox Archbishop Yohanna Ibrahim were abducted in April by armed men near Aleppo while en route to the northern Syrian city from the Turkish border. They were reportedly on their way to negotiate the release of three priests who are also missing.
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