A statement on the 2015 January 7-8 Acts of Terror in Paris

It is with shock and sorrow that we received the news about January 7-8 Acts of Terror in Paris. Our sympathies are with the victims, their loved ones, the church and religious communities in France, and the people of France.

We resolutely condemn the bloody vigilantism against the editorial of the Charlie Hebdo magazine. We at the same time we deem inacceptable any intentional provocation of religious, national and cultural sensitivity and hate-speech towards a community, just like acts that generate conflicts between different communities as it happened in Paris.

The different freedom rights should coexist; this is why freedom conscience and religion cannot to be limited in the name of freedom of expression and press freedom.

During the Ecumenical week of Prayer beginning on January 18^th in the community churches, we stand together in prayer with the French terrorist attacks victims, as well as all those in numerous parts of the world who suffer under religious fanatics, under terror of different ideologies, or due to effects of financial vulnerability.

In the spirit of Charta Oecumenic, we urge religious and political leaders to do all in their power to endeavour for our continent’s and world’s peace, that we all wish to contribute towards.

“ Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” (Romans 15:7)

Ecumenical Council of Churches in Hungary

and Hungarian Catholic Bishops’ Conference