OCA Primate Responds to IOCC Abduction

In response to the tragic abduction of two staffers from the International Orthodox Christian Charities, His Beatitude, Metropolitan THEODOSIUS sent a communiqué to all clergy of the Orthodox Church in America.

In his message to pastors throughout North America, Metropolitan THEODOSIUS reported on the unlawful abduction of Dmitry Petrov and Dmitry Piankowsky, who were taken hostage near the border of Ingushetia and Chechnya. These charity workers, employed by IOCC, were accompanying humanitarian air cargo intended for Ingushetia when the abduction occurred.

Clergy of the Orthodox Church in America were instructed to pray at the Divine Liturgy for the unconditional and immediate deliverance of these captives, without harm

The International Orthodox Christian Charities is a humanitarian project of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in America (SCOBA), headquartered in Baltimore. IOCC maintains offices is Moscow, Banja-Luka, Belgrade, and a field office in Jerusalem. As a pan-Orthodox humanitarian organization, the IOCC is involved in benevolent work in certain regions where danger is prevalent each day.

Faithful are urged to pray for the swift and safe return of these humanitarian workers.