Archbishop Malkhaz Songulashvili, head of the Evangelical Baptist Church of Georgia, launched an appeal for aid for the victims of the conflict. Church leaders this week called for an end to the crisis engulfing South Ossetia.His call came after church leaders spoke out on developments there. On Sunday Pope Benedict XVI urged an “immediate” end to hostilities there while the Bishop of Wakefield issued a statement calling for peace.
Although Russian President Dmitry Medvedev ordered a halt to military operations in Georgia today after five days of fighting, Church leaders have united to call for peace in the conflict between Georgia and Russia. “We call upon all Church leaders in Georgia to pray and work for the peace and to put pressure on the leather of both Russia and Georgia to cease hostilities,” said the Bishop of Wakefield, the Rt Rev Stephen Platten.
“We believe a peaceful and stable Georgia will benefit not only the nation of Georgia itself but all people within that region,” said the Bishop, who is the Church of England’s spokesman on Georgian affairs.
The Archbishop also called for Christians to join him in a vigil for peace and an end to the conflict on Wednesday evening at 10pm in St Michael’s Church. "We pray that the conflict is peacefully resolved and opposing sides reconciled. Mutual forgiveness and acceptance must be exercised.
“We mourn the death of soldiers, children, men, women, and the elderly from both sides. We deplore injustice, aggression and the conflict resolution at the cost of civilian lives. We call on the international community, religious leaders and all people of goodwill for their support of the long-suffering people of Georgia."
He went on: “The war in Georgia has left thousand of people without shelter, food and medicine. Humanitarian disaster is inevitable unless something is done.” he said.
Though the Baptists in the Republic of Georgia number fewer than 20,000, the Archbishop is highly respected for his leadership in ecumenical and interfaith circles.
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