Met. Paul Yazigi on Saints Peter and Paul

Arabic original here.

As is well known, the classic icon for this blessed feast portrays the two holy apostles embracing and kissing each other. This apostolic kiss is has been explained by many people in various ways. For some, this kiss means the reconciliation of the two apostles after they had disagreed in Antioch. For others, this kiss represents the meeting of the East (represented by the Apostle Paul) and the West (represented by the Apostle Peter). Yet others see in it a symbol of the fate shared by the two apostles who were martyred in Rome, the first by beheading and the second by being crucified like his Teacher.

However much these theories vary in precision, some of them—especially the last—offer a sound and constructive solution. In any case, it is clear that the two apostles represent two distinct worlds, or to put it better, they present to us two very important biblical personalities. Each enjoyed particular virtues with which they especially shined.

The Apostle Paul was especially distinguished by a trio of virtues and the Apostle Peter was equally endowed with another trio of virtues.

Starting with the Apostle Paul, we easily notice through the texts of the New Testament that the Apostle Paul was distinguished by three characteristics that fundamentally helped him in the success of his mission and labors.

1- He was a Roman citizen. This meant that he possessed unique civil and political rights. He repeatedly took advantage of them whenever the need arose for this. For example, we can point to the incident of his being freed from the jail in Philippi once he announced that he was a Roman citizen.

2- The Apostle Paul was adept in Greek language and philosophy. For this reason God saw him as “a chosen vessel” and sent him to the gentiles. By means of the Greek language, the Apostle Paul was able to capture the great and civilized Greek world of that time for Christ. He put into the service of God’s Word the power of philosophy and linguistic knowledge as a means for dialogue, encounter, and communication. Here we may contemplate the role of knowledge and philosophy.

3- The Apostle Paul possessed a third characteristic, his Jewish, Hebrew religion. He was one of the Jews of the diaspora. He himself took pride in being a Pharisee who had studied with Gamaliel.

Here we turn to the question of religion.

On the other hand, we notice a trio of virtues with the Apostle Peter.

1- Jesus named Peter as a shepherd. When Peter responded in the affirmative to Jesus’ question, “Do you love me?,” Jesus sent him to tend the sheep. So love is pastoral service. Here we may pause at the question of “shepherding.”

2- Peter confessed to the most important truth. The most important and defining event in the life of Saint Peter was his startling confession, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” This is the truth that the Lord considered to be the rock upon which His Church would be built.

3- Peter was distinguished by zeal in love. We easily notice in the texts of the New Testament that Peter always wanted to demonstrate his zeal for the love of Christ more than the other apostles. This zeal caused him to promise Jesus that he would follow Him even to death, to cut off the ear of the high priest’s slave, to immediately cast himself into the Sea of Tiberias in order to meet Jesus first when He had risen from the dead. So the Apostle Peter was distinguished by righteous zeal.

Indeed, these two trios complement each other when we combine each of them. Yes, authority must be pastoral, philosophy true, and religion burning zeal.

It is true that the true meaning of authority is to shepherd people. “Whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.  And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all” (Mark 10:43-44).

Indeed, true philosophy is Christian truth, just as true knowledge is found in the Christian faith.

Truly, religion without the zealous flame of love loses its vitality and becomes simply dead, formal, static Phariseeism.

Indeed, “the way” is shepherding in authority, “The truth” in philosophy, and “the life” in religion. This is what is symbolized in the image of the embrace of Peter and Paul. That is, authority with Paul embraces shepherding with Peter. The sciences with Paul meet the truth with Peter. Finally, religion with Paul is realized in zealous love with Peter.

The embrace of Peter’s virtues and Paul’s virtues, when these two worlds are intertwined and the characteristics of each saint meet, Jesus’ rock is realized in practice:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life.”

The Feast of Saints Peter and Paul in Antioch, 2012

Arabic original here.

Celebrations for the feast of Saints Peter and Paul were held in Antioch with magnificence and strong participation from the faithful. They were distinguished by the attendance of the Maronite Patriarch Mar Beshara Rai who was visiting the Maronite congregations in Turkey.

The liturgy was presided by the shepherd of the Archdiocese of Aleppo, representing His Beatitude Patriarch Ignatius Hazim. His Eminence talked about the meaning of the feast, as represented in the icon "Peter and Paul's Kiss", which demonstrates the virtues of each of these saints. All of the priests of Hatay participated, as did a number of priests who were visiting for the feast.

The church choir and a choir from Sweden chanted in Arabic and Turkish and all participated in an agape meal after the divine liturgy.

His Beatitude Patriarch Beshara Rai, Maronite Patriarch of Antioch, attended the divine liturgy along with his accompanying delegation, the papal nuncio in Turkey, the Maronite Metropolitan of Aleppo Anis Abi Ad, the Metropolitan of Anatolia, and the superior of the Antonin monks, as well as accompanying laymen and journalists. Metropolitan Paul Yaziji welcomed the guest and his delegation. He relayed to the Maronite patriarch the love and greetings of Patriarch Ignatius Hazim then he spoke about the history of cooperation and common thinking between the Orthodox and Maronite Patriarchates of Antioch for the sake of caring for the Christian presence in the Middle East and making its role and witness effective in the Arab world. His Eminence pointed to the role of Patriarch Mar Beshara in establishing the work of the Church in cooperation and love and in establishing her witness to the divine Word. This is clear from his work in establishing church institutions such as universities and developing media for the sake of explaining and spreading the Word.

Afterwards, Mr. Fadi Khoury, president of the Antioch Society spoke, welcoming the patriarch and pointing to the role of the parish of Antioch today in preserving Christian life in this historically important Christian city, whose name is carried by the patriarchs of the Middle East. He offered the patriarch and the accompanying delegation commemorative gifts.

The Maronite patriarch continued his visit to the city of Antioch, which began with a visit to the Turkish authorities Thursday afternoon, where he expressed his desire to establish a patriarchal center for Maronites in Antioch and he spoke of the importance of the history of dialogue and shared life between Muslims and Christians in the Middle East, in Turkey, and especially in Lebanon and Syria. He then visited the Church of Saints Peter and Paul and the Antiochian congregation where the feast was celebrated.

On Friday Morning, the patriarch will celebrate the divine liturgy in the historical cave of Saint Peter.

The shepherd of the [Orthodox] Archdiocese [of Aleppo] visited the parish in Alexandretta where he joined in prayer with the members of the parish and a meal was held. Metropolitan Paul met with priests and members of associations in Alexandretta, Mersin, and Antioch over the course of regular meetings to discuss administrative, endowment, and pastoral matters.

The shepherd of the Archdiocese of Aleppo congratulated in the name of His Beatitude Patriarch Hazim all the clergy and members of our Antiochian parishes in the region. He likewise congratulated in their name His Beatitude the Patriarch and all the bishops of the See of Antioch and all Antiochian parishes wherever they are found on this general feast of the Holy See of Antioch.

Fr. Georges Massouh on Islamism and Human Rights

Arabic original here .


Divine Right and Human Rights

In his book General Freedoms in the Islamic State (Markaz Dirasat al-Wahda al-Arabiyya, 1993),Sheikh Rached el-Ghannouchi dedicates an entire chapter to "the Islamic conception of freedom and human rights". After affirming that Islam is "a comprehensive revolution of liberation," he places limits on human freedoms, saying, "what must be understood about freedom in the usual sense of the word is that it is merely permissibility or permission. In the logic of rights, it does not appear that the liberating mission of Islam can be active... that God permits you to do what you want-- no! The rallying cry of this mission is completely the opposite of that. God, your Creator, forbids you from following your inclinations and your ignorance and He commands you to follow-- fully conscious and with sincere intent-- the path that pleases Him for your life. Only there lies your happiness and your advancement, in this life and the next."

El-Ghannouchi curtails human freedom with Islamic dogma and law, "Man is granted vicegerency by God, and within this covenant of vicegerency-- Islamic law-- fall all his rights and responsibilities." He likewise considers that "the theory of human rights in Islam is based on permitting individual freedom in all things that do not conflict with right or with the common good. If it goes beyond this, it becomes an offense that must be stopped and curtailed." We believe that by "right" el-Ghannouchi means "divine right".

The problem with these words begins with determining who decides about a given behavior and whether it conflict with "right". El-Ghannouchi believes that "the highest legitimacy in the state belongs only to God as represented in His law and that the nation is granted vicegerency-- not an individual or an institution." He himself believes that "the authority and highest legitimacy of the text prevent there from being a religious authority in Islam (a church), just as they prevented the ruler from being the shadow of God on earth."

The words of Sheikh el-Ghannouchi, leader of the Nahda Party that took power in Tunis, gives reason for us not to be surprised at the restriction of general freedoms that is occuring in that country and the limitation of freedom of expression. From the assault on the television station because it aired a film that "offends the Divine" to the strike by professors in the faculty of arts and letters in Manouba, to the attack on an art exhibition in Qasr el-Abdaliyya that some considered to "violate holy things".... All of this makes us wonder about the degree of openness that the Islamists have with regard to general rights.

Despite what el-Ghannouchi says, it appears that "religious authority", the "church" (as it was in the Middle Ages), is present in force and imposes its opinion on people and society, deciding what is and is not permissible to do.  If divine right is an absolute right that cannot be discussed, the human reading of that right remains relative, governed by the political whims and narrow interests of those responsible for the state. It is not right for any party to havea monopoly on "divine right", since in doing so they make themselves into partners with Him, equal to Him in ruling people and their intentions.

No to any commandment from a religious authority that imposes itself on society. We say this out of our fear that the infection will spread from Tunisia to every country where Islamists come to power, and out of fear that the Arab Spring will become an Autumn were the leaves of freedom fall and are trampled upon.

Things Get Worse in Syria

First, two news items that show the nature of the "Free Syrian Army" and the lengths they go to manipulate the western press, followed by a few articles about the worsening situation for Christians in Syria.

The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung now reports that the massacre in Houla was in fact perpetrated by Sunni rebels against a family in the village who had converted to Shi'ism. German article here. Google translate here:


According to the eyewitnesses, the massacre occurred during this period. Almost exclusively families from the Alawite and Shi'ite minority were killed in Hula, which is more than ninety percent Sunni. Thus, several dozen members of one family who had converted from Sunnism to Shi'i Islam were slaughtered. Members of the Alawite Shomaliya family were also killed, as well as the family of a Sunni member of parliament, because he was considered a collaborator.  Immediately after the massacre, the perpetrators filmed their victims, portrayed them as Sunnis, and spread the videos over the internet. 


In the Guardian, here, a journalist for British Channel 4 TV tells the story of how his team was led by Syrian rebels into a dangerous situation, so that their deaths could be blamed on the regime.


Alex Thomson alleged a small group from the Free Syrian Army deliberately guided the vehicle in which he and his Channel 4 News colleagues were travelling into what he described as a "free-fire zone" on a blocked road near the city of al-Qusayr, because "dead journos are bad for Damascus".


Further expulsions of Christians are occurring in the Homs region, this time in the town of Qusayr, as reported by Agenzia Fides, the Vatican news agency here.


Exodus of Christians in the west of Syria: the Christian population has left the town of Qusayr, near Homs, following an ultimatum from the military chief of the armed opposition, Abdel Salam Harba. This is what local sources of Fides report, indicating that, following the outbreak of the conflict, out of the ten thousand faithful who lived in the town, only a thousand have remained, who have now been forced to flee in haste to fury. Some mosques in the city have re-launched the message, announcing from the minarets: "Christians must leave Qusayr within six days, which expires this Friday."


 Also from Agenzia Fides:

"The desolation of Homs and the war of information ": the words of a greek-catholic Bishop
 The picture for us – he continues - is utter desolation: the church of Mar Elian is half destroyed and that of Our Lady of Peace is still occupied by the rebels. Christian homes are severely damaged due to the fighting and completely emptied of their inhabitants, who fled without taking anything. The area of Hamidieh is still shelter to armed groups independent of each other, heavily armed and bankrolled by Qatar and Saudi Arabia. All Christians (138,000) have fled to Damascus and Lebanon, while others took refuge in the surrounding countryside. A priest was killed and another was wounded by three bullets.

Christians kidnapped: after Houla, they are possible target for revenge
A [Syrian Greek-]Catholic family, who arrived in Lebanon from Qusayr, told Fides that he left the village because of fighting between the army and rebels, but especially for the plague of kidnappings: Many Christians are picked up by masked men, some with a local accent, others no. The kidnappers ask for huge ransoms. One of their Christian relatives - tell the refugees – was killed, kidnapped and tortured because  [they were] "non-aligned with the revolutionaries."




Finally, a report from a Christian living in Wadi al-Nasara, posted to Joshua Landis' Syria Comment here. 


Over 40 young men (including a couple of doctors) from the Wadi area, we’re killed by the bearded men who are eager to give us democracy. In a few of these killing, they decapitated the bodies and severed limbs. In one occasion, they gave the body back to the family but kept the head and put it on top of a hill. They stood about a couple hundred feet and challenged anyone to come pick it up. Finally a guy drove his pickup truck in high speed and picked up the head under fire.

Here is another one: at one point, Crac de Chevaliers became a multinational hub of Afghani, Libyans and Lebanese bearded men. The Afghanis were actually non-threatening. But the two Arab groups had an argument as to which sheikh should rule the castle. There was a Libyan sheikh and a Lebanese one. A fire fight erupted, and a few martyrs died. Now the castle was finally cleaned up by the army. It turned out that the Lebanese sheikh was actually wanted in Lebanon for commuting several murders. He was caught alive. 

… This is the sad truth. The good news is that the security situation is steadily improving. The hope is that the refugees will return to their homes and start the rebuilding process…..

Most of them settled in Tartous, Latakia, Aleppo or Damascus. My sister made new friends from Homs, who only had their clothes and left everything behind. A few who are well to do rented shops and started their businesses (or clinics) there.

Another story:  my first cousin’s sister in law fled her house in bustan al deewan because of daily harassment by the militants from Baba Amr and al-khalideeah. A few weeks after she left, she called her own home number. A guy answers the phone. She asked who he is. He gave a name. She asked “what are you doing here”.  He said he lives there. She told him “but this is my house”.  He said “the priest of the local church gave it to me”.

The militants constantly drive through the area, and either fire shots in the air, or show their weapons. They have essentially settled in the empty houses. They only leave when the government forces kick them out, only to return later when the cat is away from the rat.

Churches are demolished inside. Anything of value is stolen. Things of little value are thrown on the street and destroyed.

A distant relative of mine (in his seventies) was shot in his leg. When his family tried to take him to a hospital, the long-bearded men didn’t allow them to touch him. He bled to death. He was from marmarita living in Homs.

Orthodox Monasticism in Modern Syria, a Dissertation

For those of you who read French, here is a very recent dissertation that focuses on Orthodox monasticism in Syria, written by Anna Poujeau. It is entitled "Églises, Monachisme et Sainteté: Construction de la communauté chrétienne en Syrie" and can be downloaded here. It contains a wealth of information about how Orthodox monasteries function in Syrian society and is a very valuable resource for understanding the contemporary Patriarchate of Antioch. 



The English synopsis:

Churches, Monasticism and Holiness. Construction of the Christian Community in Syria

This thesis focuses on the social, political and symbolic inscription of the Christian minority in the Syrian national territory, more specifically, on the monastic revival which has been taking place in this country over the last three decades. It is indeed a revival, in spite of its late manifestation, as this contemporary process, including its local representations, falls within the scope of a history which goes back to the origins of Christianity. Which are then the motives of this phenomenon? How and why monasticism reappears in Syria today? How must this “return of the monks”, who had been considered as saints during the first centuries of Christianity, be interpreted? What kind of relation may be established between monasticism and holiness? This thesis attempts to answer these broad questions which place it, at the same time, in the field of the anthropology of Christianity and that of the study of monasticism. They refer to the contemporary modalities of construction of the Christian community of Syria, where its three dimensions, the Churches, monasticism and holiness are closely related and seem to structure its universe. Considering the relations this community maintains with its Churches and the question of holiness, Christian monasticism in Syria, the main pillar of its construction, is analysed in this study in all its scope, that is through its historical, symbolic, religious, social, economic and political dimensions.


Table of Contents:

Introduction générale..................................................................................................p.1
Première partie
Affirmer l'antériorité chrétienne du territoire syrien............................................p.19
Chapitre I Histoire nationale et reconstruction
de l'histoire syrienne par les chrétiens.....................................................................p.20
1. Construction d'une histoire nationale ......................................................................p.21
2. Reconstruction de l'histoire par les chrétiens ..........................................................p.29
La quête des monastères par les pèlerins ..................................................................p.30
Discours sur la temporalité et le territoire.................................................................p.35
Les multiples usages du terme dayr..........................................................................p.38
Dualité: chrétiens versus musulmans........................................................................p.41
Chapitre II Pouvoir politique, Églises
et construction de la communauté chrétienne ........................................................p.51
1. La renaissance de l'Église grecque orthodoxe d'Antioche et de tout l'Orient..........p.52
Évolution de l'Église grecque orthodoxe d'Antioche au XXe siècle.........................p.53
Églises et pouvoir politique p.57
2. Renaissance du monachisme grec orthodoxe .........................................................p.61
La création des Jeunesses orthodoxes.......................................................................p.62
Monachisme et pouvoir ecclésiastique .....................................................................p.65
3. Construction d'une histoire passée au présent .........................................................p.72
Redécouvrir et rénover les ruines..............................................................................p.80
Construire les monastères pour les saints .................................................................p.83
Construire des vestiges..............................................................................................p.87
Deuxième partie
Les femmes de Dieu...................................................................................................p.93
Chapitre III
Le monastère grec orthodoxe de Sainte-Thècle......................................................p.94
1. Le monastère dans l'histoire : fondation et exégèses...............................................p.95
Maclûlâ : un village araméen.....................................................................................p.95
Terre d'accueil d'une sainte .......................................................................................p.99
Des monastères en compétition...............................................................................p.102
Un sanctuaire féminin .............................................................................................p.103
2. Espaces partagés, espaces réservés :
investissement contemporain du lieu de culte.........................................................p.108
Les pèlerins .............................................................................................................p.110
Sous le regard des nonnes .......................................................................................p.114
Des visites pluri-confessionnelles...........................................................................p.117
Occupation réelle et symbolique de l'église............................................................p.123
Lieu de vie des nonnes ............................................................................................p.125
Le tombeau et la grotte de Sainte-Thècle................................................................p.126
Ramener la baraka ..................................................................................................p.130
La sainte démultipliée ............................................................................................p.132
3. Les rythmes de la vie monastique .........................................................................p.135
Les femmes d'une communauté ..............................................................................p.135
Les prières ...............................................................................................................p.139
Les tâches quotidiennes ..........................................................................................p.143
Chapitre IV La vocation monastique :
une vie tendue vers l'extra-mondanité...................................................................p.148
1. Tarah)aba : quitter le monde pour adorer Dieu ....................................................p.149
Fuir le père ..............................................................................................................p.149
Visites de la famille au monastère ..........................................................................p.151
Le temps du postulat ...............................................................................................p.152
L'intention du coeur et la vocation..........................................................................p.154
Le Postulat : sous l'arbitraire de la Mère supérieure ...............................................p.162
Le temps du noviciat ...............................................................................................p.166
2. Une vie sous le voile : filles de sainte Thècle .......................................................p.169
Oublier sa propre personne : devenir la sainte........................................................p.170
Fiancées et épouses du Christ .................................................................................p.173
Les mariages mystiques ..........................................................................................p.175
Chapitre. V
Dans le monastère : Cheminer vers la sainte ........................................................p.182
1. L'autorité au monastère .........................................................................................p.183
Relations à la sainte.................................................................................................p.185
Relations à la supérieure .........................................................................................p.190
2. La volonté de sainte Thècle...................................................................................p.194
Les moniales, la supérieure et la sainte...................................................................p.194
Ordre monastique et mise à distance de l’autorité ecclésiastique...........................p.199
3. Sainte Thècle, la partie et le tout ...........................................................................p.203
Troisième partie
Des shabâb et des saints...........................................................................................p.210
Chapitre. VI
Les jeunes hommes dans les fêtes...........................................................................p.211
1. La fête de la croix..................................................................................................p.211
Exégèses et représentations.....................................................................................p.211
Les shabâb et la fête................................................................................................p.214
Des jeunes guerriers ................................................................................................p.217
Les shabâb face à l'autorité ecclésiastique..............................................................p.224
La croix et le feu .....................................................................................................p.228
Les multiples scènes du rituel .................................................................................p.235
Un rituel pour la baraka..........................................................................................p.239
2. Shabâb et sainteté ..................................................................................................p.249
La baraka des shabâb .............................................................................................p.250
Dédoublement symboliquement de la figure des shabâb .......................................p.258
Chapitre.VII
Verser les larmes des yeux......................................................................................p.260
1. Les funérailles de jeunes .......................................................................................p.261
Annoncer la mort d'un jeune ...................................................................................p.261
Prendre en charge les jeunes défunts ......................................................................p.264
Pleurer les jeunes morts ..........................................................................................p.272
Les kbâr...................................................................................................................p.281
La baraka du jeune défunt ......................................................................................p.282
La sanctification du jeune défunt ............................................................................p.284
Conclusion................................................................................................................p.286
Bibliographie............................................................................................................p.292

Fr. Pandeleimon Farah's Sermon for All Saints' Day, 2011

Arabic original here.


Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages, amen.

Today we commemorate all the saints who are throughout the world. We commemorate all those who shone, east and west, north and south, as well as those who will become saints. Holiness is not limited to a time or to a certain number of people but rather it spreads like light that disperses the darkness. In this way, Christ's grace spreads among humankind, and those who approach it possess holiness. The saints do not belong to a long-lost time that has passed. They are present now in our era and they will also be present after us. There is no limit to sanctity, so we commemorate them all in order to know that we are not limited by the feasts of saints whom we know and the dates of whose feasts we know and so celebrate at certain times. Rather, we commemorate all the saints as a result of giving glory to God, who gave us the grace of holiness.

This is an opinion that we must adopt and a teaching that we must follow in order to know that we are also called to holiness. Did we not receive this grace at baptism?! So we must cause it to bear fruit and be serious, as the Apostle Paul teaches about those whom he remembers in today's epistle, how they suffered, asking us to patiently struggle. This is what is asked of us, to be patient in our struggle, to be patient in or sufferings and our temptations. When we are patient, we will inevitably be victorious, because God, who arranged for us to undertake this struggle, is with us, struggling with us, sanctifying us, and ministering to us, so that we might be victorious and He might be pleased with our struggle.

In this way He looked upon the struggles of Saint Anthony in the desert. After being exhausted from toil and worn down and wounded by many blows from the devil, Anthony asked the Lord, "Where were you? I I called upon you often, and you did not come to me?" He said to him, "O Anthony, I was with you, rejoicing in your struggle and now I will appear to you in order to confirm to you that you are in a righteous struggle and on the true path." Do not ask for a miracle immediately. God is with you, so be patient in your struggle. When He sees your patience, He will help you even more and will reveal victory to you.

So let us struggle in patience and let us be persistent. What is the point of this life that we live, if it is not training for us to arrive at holiness? What use is it? It has no use, if it does not lead to holiness and the kingdom. This is the valley of the shadow of death, where man toils and grieves and sheds much sweat, but God will crown his patience with victory, holiness, and the life of the kingdom.

So struggle, especially early in life, because in this way you will become accustomed to following this path. When someone becomes accustomed to loose living and distances himself from the Lord, it is hard for him later to follow this path, just like with sports. If you have trained every day from your youth, then in adulthood and old age you will persist, because you have become used to this regimen. But if you come to train after seventy years of relaxation and immobility, then you will not move at all. So struggle while you are young in order to arrive at victory starting now. Then you will become accustomed to being victorious and evil will not overcome you. Do not be careless and do not allow yourself to submit to the temptations that come your way, lest you become negligent and in your negligence you will not be victorious. But in your struggling and your patience in the suffering, difficulty, and temptation,  that you go through, you will be victorious and your reward will stick to Christ and in this way you will become holy.

If you want to know more, you should read the lives of the heroic saints that the Church has announced, not in order to say, "we have many saints" but in order to say to your, "these are the guiding models, you should emulate them and walk in their footsteps." Then, in your familiarity with the righteous, you can come to Christ and in your daily prayer and reading of the Bible, you will be upright and set limits in your life, so that you do not deviate into sin. In this way you will preserve yourself through discipline and you will struggle with patience and steadfastness and so receive the great reward of being with Christ in the kingdom.

So let all the saints intercede for us, those whom we commemorate in every country and place. Notice that the Church is not limited to local saints. She seeks their intercession, but she commemorates and rejoices in all saints in every place, because they also bear the grace of the Lord and possess this grace in order to sanctify and enlighten us. So by learning from their biographies and their lives, we emulate them and are also filled with their graces, abundant blessings, we are made holy, strengthened, and advance in our struggle. May they bless us on this blessed morning and may they make our life story be in imitation of their story and their holiness, so that we too may receive blessed victory from the Lord. May His name be holy in us, amen.

Archimandrite Pandeleimon (Farah)
Abbot of the Monastery of Hamatoura
June 22, 2011

Antiochian Department of Ecumenical Relations and Development

I only recently discovered this excellent website for the Patriarchate of Antioch's Department of Ecumenical Relations and Development. Unlike most Patriarchate of Antioch websites, it is visually very nice and everything is available in English as well as Arabic. It has a substantial amount of information about the Patriarchate's charitable activities and ecumenical relations. Of course, its info for making contributions are only aimed at the Middle East and Europe....


Go see it now here!