The heads of the Antiochian and Syriac Orthodox Churches have issued a joint appeal marking the anniversary of the 2013 abduction of two senior clerics in Aleppo, urging the international community to intensify efforts to uncover their fate.

In a statement released by the Antiochian Patriarchate, John X of Antioch and Ignatius Aphrem II described the case as “one of the most tragic symbols of the humanitarian catastrophe” in the Middle East.

The appeal refers to the kidnapping of Metropolitans Paul of the Antiochian Church and Yohanna (John) of the Syriac Orthodox Church, who were seized in April 2013 while traveling near the Turkish border. The two bishops had been on a humanitarian mission seeking the release of priests abducted months earlier when their convoy was attacked.

“This case remains a challenge to human dignity and a stark reminder of how, in times of conflict, human beings can be reduced to mere objects,” the patriarchs said in their statement. They noted that despite years of diplomatic and other efforts, there has been no meaningful progress in determining the fate of the missing clerics.

The church leaders also called for unity among Christians across denominational lines, emphasizing that the القضية reflects the shared suffering of believers throughout the region. They expressed concern over the continued lack of information about those responsible for the abduction or their motives.

Separately, Patriarch John X addressed the issue during a recent visit to Turkey. On April 22, he visited the village of Sarılar, where he led a service at a church dedicated to St. George the Victorious that is currently under construction. Speaking to worshippers, he described the memory of the kidnapped metropolitans as “an integral part of the spiritual life of the region.”

Following the service, the patriarch met with parishioners, offering blessings and encouraging them to maintain unity and hope as calls continue for answers more than a decade after the abduction.