The two Catholic priests, who had been abducted in Iraq last Saturday, as they were going to the Hay Al-Thawra district in Mosul, were released yesterday: the news was published by the international Assyrian press agency Aina. It is not known whether a ransom was paid to free father Mazin Esho (35 years old) and father Piyous Affas (60), who had been abducted by strangers last Saturday, whom, at the Angelus prayer yesterday, Benedict XVI had asked to release. "Serious news of attacks and abuse keep flowing in from Iraq every day, which upset the consciences of all those who have at heart the good of that country and peace in the region", Benedict XVI had said. "I have learnt today he had added that two good priests of the Syrian-Catholic archdiocese of Mossul have been abducted and threatened with death". Hence his request: "I ask the abductors to promptly release the two priests and, in repeating once again that violence does not solve tensions, I raise to the Lord a heart-felt prayer for their release, for all those who suffer abuse and for peace".
