Archbishop George of Cyprus has expressed his support for the head of the Antiochian Orthodox Church, Patriarch John X, during a phone conversation held against the backdrop of escalating tensions in Syria and Lebanon, according to Orthodoxia.info.

During the discussion, the two church leaders addressed recent developments in the region, including unrest in the Syrian city of Sqalbiya. In March, what began as a local dispute reportedly escalated into widespread violence, resulting in attacks on Christians, as well as significant damage and destruction of property. The Antiochian Orthodox Church strongly condemned the incident.

Support for Syrian Christians and clergy has also been voiced by leaders of other Local Orthodox Churches, including Patriarch Kirill of Moscow.

Archbishop George emphasized that the Church of Cyprus is closely monitoring the situation with deep concern and continues to pray for the safety of believers, particularly during the праздничный period. He also condemned the escalation of violence, noting that “war makes no distinctions and affects everyone.”

In parallel, the Cypriot Archbishop discussed the situation with European Parliament member Loucas Fourlas. The two agreed to coordinate efforts aimed at protecting Christians in Syria and called for more active involvement from international institutions.

Fourlas has since submitted an urgent inquiry to the European Commission regarding measures to safeguard religious minorities. In response, the Commission stated its readiness to continue efforts to protect human rights in Syria and to hold those responsible for violations accountable.