Fathers Pius Affas, 60, and Mazen Ishoa, 35, from the Syrian-Catholic diocese of Mosul, were abducted over a week ago while on their way to celebrate mass in the city’s Our Lady of Fatima Parish Church, Catholics said.
Unidentified gunmen, who ambushed their car and took them to an unidentified location, reportedly demanded a $1 million ransom for their release. An ultimatum for paying that ransom expired Saturday, October 20. On Sunday, October 21, church officials did not reveal whether any money had been paid.
The Syrian-Catholic archbishop of Mosul, Basile Georges Casmoussa, said however that the two men had returned to the church in Mosul "to continue their mission, a mission of peace." In comments monitored by BosNewsLife the bishop said he was "thanking God for the freedom of the two priests" as well as Pope Benedict XVI and "all friends who pray and all who helped us to win their release."
POPE "EXTREMELY HAPPY"
Pope Benedict XVI said in a statement he was "extremely happy on hearing the news." He said he had followed "the recent events closely and with great concern" and described the release of the two priests as "a sign of peace that we hope is possible to develop" as "events of this kind must not happen again," Vatican Radio reported.
Last week the pontiff appealed for the priests to be freed, using his weekly Angelus blessing to send the message that "violence cannot bring relief to this tense situation". Father Affas, is originally from Mosul, a bastion of Sunni Muslim insurgency, has been a priest for over 40 years. He is also a biblical studies professor and the former editor of an Arab language magazine. Father Ishoa, from a Christian village south of Mosul, was recently ordained after receiving a decree, church officials said.
Although there was relief Sunday, October 21, about the release of the priests, the latest kidnapping underscored concerns among Iraq’s minority Christians, who have been the target of sectarian attacks and kidnappings. Many of the country’s Christians -about three per cent of the total population of 26 million – have fled Iraq and are living in neighboring nations. (With BosNewsLife’s Stefan J. Bos and reporting from Iraq and Vatican City).
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