'We will remain!' Catholic Patriarch remains defiant to Islamic State

Church leaders urge aid to persecuted Christians

The Islamic State's constant and enduring persecution of Christians in the territories it controls may be the greatest tragedy suffered by any group of people since the Jewish holocaust during the second World War, Catholic Patriarch Gregoire III Laham said during his Lenten message.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Despite growing efforts by the Church, the numbered of Christians in need continues to grow.

Please join Pope Francis is a day of prayer to stop the persecutions of Christians in the Middle East and throughout the world.

"We fail in front of the suffering of our people in all walks of life, Christians and Muslims. It's a universal suffering," he said.

"We as pastors are with our people, at their side, in front of them, behind them," he said. He compared the ongoing action of Christian relief organizations as washing "the feet of those who are suffering as Jesus washed the feet of his disciples."

"We are in the fifth year of the Way of the Cross," he said, referring to missionary and humanitarian works in Syria, Iraq, Palestine and Lebanon, "which is affected in a tragic way by war, which rages around.

"This is a tragedy of the greatest tragedies of history-not just in the region, but in the world-since World War Two. We call on all citizens and our children" to work with Pope Francis and "not let the flame of hope be extinguished in [our] hearts."

Lebanon has been a constant host for refugees from war torn countries in the Middle East and now has more than 1.5 million. They have been housing refugees from Palestine since the 1950s, from Syria since 2011 and even now from Iraq, especially Christians.

"How many have heard about all the stories of suffering," he asked.

While he notes that the Church asks those who stay to remain faithful and hold with "hope and faith and surrender to the will of God," he also understands that choosing to stay or leave a country "is a personal decision and responsibility of every individual and every family."

February is a month for love and devotion.

Laham also noted that religious leaders had a duty to remain with their flock.

"But we as pastors, we will remain with all who remain, and serve them," he said.

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