Source: www.persecution.org
Date: January 15, 2020
Turkey (International Christian Concern) – The parents of Father Ramzi Diril, a Chaldean Catholic priest, have disappeared in southeastern Turkey. They were abducted by unidentified men from their home in the village of Meer, in Sirnak Province.
Hurmuz and Simoni Diril had returned to this village ten year prior, and were the last Assyrians and Christians remaining in the village. Both are elderly. Father Ramzi had arrived home on Sunday to visit his parents; he discovered their house empty and that they had gone missing the day before. Winter conditions are currently harsh in Sirnak, which had made the already difficult landscape challenging to search. The family has requested prayer during this time.
The pressure and dangers faced by Assyrian Christians in Southeastern Turkey has caused many to leave. Father Ramzi is the only Chaldean Catholic priest in charge of pastoral work in Turkey. He travels often to minister to the needs of Turkey’s few remaining Assyrian Christian community.
HOW TO PRAY: Pray for the quick and safe return of this couple. Pray for the couple to cling to their faith during this difficult time. Pray for peace for their loved ones as they await their return.