The Voice of the Martyrs is reporting in their August 22, 2006 e-mail newsletter that Christians are being kidnapped and held for ransom in Iraq.

The full article is below.

IRAQ
(Compass Direct)
On August 17th, Iraqi church leaders issued appeals today for the release of a Chaldean Catholic priest kidnapped the day before in Southeast Baghdad. Chaldean Archbishop of Kirkuk Louis Sako said Father Saad Sirop of St. Jacob parish in Baghdad’s Doura district was on his way home from celebrating mass at St. Jacob church at about 6:30 a.m. when his car was stopped by three armed men with masks who forced him into their car. “I think there are two reasons these kidnappings are taking place,” Sako told Compass. “The first reason is money. But the second reason is they want to push Christians out of Iraq.” Sirop is the second Chaldean Catholic priest to be kidnapped in Baghdad this month. According to Sako, Father Raad Kashan of Baghdad’s Battawin district was abducted two weeks before by a group seeking ransom almost two weeks ago. The priest managed to escape after three days in captivity by promising to return to his captors with funds for his release.

Pray Jesus will make Himself known to these priests with a comforting sense of His loving presence. Pray they will be the light of Christ to those around them. Pray God will move in power in Iraq, bringing the message of salvation to many nominal Muslims who live in superstitious fear of Allah.