Franciscan priest abducted in Syria set free by captors

Last updated on: July 15, 2015 at 9:02 am by CNA Daily News

Franciscan priest abducted in Syria set free by captors 2015-07-15T09:02:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Latakia, Syria, Jul 15, 2015 / 03:02 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The organization of Franciscan missionaries serving in the Holy Land announced that Father Dhiya Aziz, who had been kidnapped early last week in Syria, was liberated.

“The Custody of the Holy Land thanks those around the world who prayed for a successful outcome to this trial that Fr. Dhiya endured, as well as the faithful of Yacoubieh, of which he is the pastor, his religious family and his family in Iraq,” the group announced July 9.

“The Custody does not forget that other religious are still missing in Syria and it invites everyone to continue praying for peace in this country.”

The group had lost contact with Fr. Aziz on July 4. He is a Franciscan priest of the organization, and was parish priest at Yacubiyeh, a village in Syria's Idlib province, more than 56 miles northeast of Latakia.

He had been taken by unknown militants, who were suspected to be from al-Nusra Front, which has a strong presence in Idlib province. However, “this group has denied any involvement in his kidnapping and allegedly led the police investigation in neighboring villages which led to his liberation,” the Custody of the Holy Land stated.

“Fr. Dhiya was allegedly abducted by another group (of) jihadists eager to profit on his release,” they added, noting that there are large number of rebel groups operating in the area. The Custody also stated that Fr. Aziz “was allegedly treated well during his kidnapping.”

Fr. Aziz was born in Mosul, Iraq, in 1974. He studied medicine, and then entered religious life, making a first profession of vows in 2002. The following year he was transferred to Egypt, and in 2010 to Jordan. Fr. Aziz was later moved to Latakia, and he then volunteered to come to Yacubiyeh, a predominantly Christian village.

Fr. Aziz' kidnapping was the latest in a series of attacks on Christian religious since the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011.

In 2013, militants kidnapped a group of Greek Orthodox nuns, Fr. Paolo Dall’Oglio, S.J., and the Greek and Syriac Orthodox bishops of Aleppo. The nuns were eventually returned to their convent unharmed, but Fr. Dall’Oglio and the bishops remain missing.

In 2014, Dutch priest Fr. Frans van der Lugt, S.J., was murdered in Homs. The priest served in Syria for more than four decades. He was involved in interreligious dialogue and had built as spirituality center that housed children with mental disabilities.

The same year, another Franciscan priest, Fr. Hanna Jallouf, was kidnapped together with as many as 20 people from his parish in Qunaya, a neighboring village of Yacubiyeh – the two are less than a mile apart.

In February, the Islamic State kidnapped at least ninety Christians from villages in northeast Syria.

And in May, Fr. Jacques Mourad was kidnapped at gunpoint from a monastery southeast of Homs.

The Syrian civil war began in March 2011 with demonstrations against the nation's president, Bashar al-Assad. The war has claimed the lives of more than 230,000 people, and forced 4 million to become refugees. Another 8 million Syrians are believed to have been internally displaced by the violence.

Asia - Pacific

Previous Post

July 15, 2015

Catholics in Singapore celebrate 50 years of nation's independence

Next Post

July 15, 2015 Catholics in Bologna mourn Cardinal Biffi, a humorous, plain-spoken preacher

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What is the main Christian group in Ethiopia called?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Pentecostal Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church Baptist Assemblies of God