Joseph Tobji

Joseph Tobji (28 March 1971–) is a Syrian prelate of the Maronite Church who serves as the archeparch of the Archeparchy of Aleppo.

Quotes

• It is absolutely clear to everyone that the reasons for such a disastrous war as we have endured for seven years now have nothing to do with the demand for democracy or freedom. They have much more to do with a dirty game of world economics.
  • “If it weren‘t for the Church, we‘d be dead by now” (6 February 2018)

• If the Christians disappear, there will be many problems, both for their own country and for Europe.
  • ACN approves a total of over 3 million Euros for 40 projects for the reconstruction of Syria (19 July 2018)

• We have to strengthen the faith of the people, anchor them in this country, encourage them to be witnesses of Christ, the salt of the earth and light of the world: we cannot allow our presence here to become insignificant. We have lived through a particularly painful period of history: we are living in extraordinary circumstances. Now we need to deal with them appropriately.
  • Syria: The bleeding wound of emigration (30 April 2019)

• Everyone sees very well what the goal is: to increase suffering in the population to fuel popular discontent and thus produce regime change. But this way of acting is criminal. Putting an entire people in distress at a time like this, where there is also the specter of the pandemic around the world, is inhuman. And the sign that to pursue your goals you are willing to do anything, even to sacrifice millions of people, poor people, families is a diabolical act.
  • The Maronite Archbishop of Aleppo: the new sanctions against Syrian people are a "diabolical act" (17 June 2020)

• Our desire to stay is a "Mission" and not just because we were born here, or because we are obliged to stay here against our will. We Maronites have no place to bring us together other than this cathedral, and the decision to restore it was self-evident, just like a family who wanted to renovate our only house that brought us together.
  • The Cathedral of St. Elijah in Aleppo, destroyed during the Syrian war, rises from the ashes (17 July 2020)

• The logic of the sanctions is arguably to starve the people and reduce the political consensus for the authorities and thereby overthrow the government. But as a Pastor, I see that people suffer from poverty and it doesn't seem to me that discussions about democracy are a priority for them.
  • Archbishop Tobji of Aleppo after the presidential election: "Sanctions cause hunger and do not lead to more democracy" (28 May 2021)

• The Christian presence in the East, even in Aleppo is thousands of years old, since the time of the Apostles; therefore, it is very important that it continues, because this also benefits the universal Church - not only the East.
  • War and economic crisis in Aleppo cause Christians to flee (13 December 2021)