A Statement Issued by the Greek Orthodox, Syriac Orthodox, and Greek-Melkite Catholic Patriarchates of Antioch on the Recent American Aggression in Syria

_________________________

God is with us; Understand all ye nations and submit yourselves!

We condemn and denounce the brutal aggression that took place this morning against our precious country Syria by the USA, France, and the UK, under allegations that the Syrian government used chemical weapons. We raise our voices to affirm the following:

• This brutal aggression is a clear violation of international law and the UN Charter, as it’s an unjustified assault on a sovereign country, member of the UN.
• It causes us great pain that this assault comes from powerful countries to which Syria didn’t cause any harm in any way.
• The allegation of the USA and other countries that the Syrian Arab Army uses chemical weapons and that Syria owns and uses this kind of weapon is an unjustified claim unsupported by sufficient and clear evidence.
• The timing of this unjustified aggression against Syria, when an independent International Commission for Inquiry was about to start work in Syria, undermines the work of this commission.
• This brutal aggression destroys the chances for a peaceful political solution and leads to escalation and more complications.
• This unjust aggression encourages terrorist organisations and gives them momentum to continue their terrorism.
• We call upon the UN Security Council to play its role in bringing peace rather than contribute to an escalation of the war.
• We call upon all churches in the countries that participated in the aggression to fulfil their Christian duties according to the teachings of the Gospel, to condemn this aggression, to call their governments to commit to the protection of international peace.
• We salute the courage, heroism, and sacrifices of the Syrian Arab Army, which courageously protects Syria and provide security for its people. We pray for the souls of the martyrs and the recovery of the wounded. We’re confident that the army won’t bow before external or internal terrorist aggressions; they’ll continue to fight courageously against terrorism until they cleanse every inch of the Syrian land from terrorism. We, likewise, commend the brave stand of countries friendly to Syria and its people.

We offer our prayers for the safety, victory, and deliverance of Syria from all kinds of wars and terrorism. We also pray for peace in Syria and throughout the world, and call for strengthening the efforts of the national reconciliation for the sake of protecting the country and preserving the dignity of all Syrians.

+ Greek Orthodox Patriarch Youhanna al-Yazigi of Antioch and all the East

+ Syriac Orthodox Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem of Antioch and all the East

+ Melkite-Greek Catholic Patriarch Joseph Absi of Antioch, Alexandria, and Jerusalem

Damascus

Syrian Arab Republic

14 April 2018

Advertisement

16 April 2017. Fr Vazken on the Resurrection

******

____________________________________

Some jerk is going to say:

They’re not in communion with us. They’re not Orthodox.

Hey, that’s Orthodoxy for ya… we fight with one another… sometimes, even deny each other the chalice… but we’re one people, one faith, one heart, one soul… for there’s only one Christ. Let those with open hearts and souls hear…

The Orthosphere lives. There IS a unity amongst all Orthodox, both Eastern and Oriental, despite the theological disputes. Look at the love between Russians and Armenians… need I add more?

BMD

Statement on the Martyrdom of Christians on Hosanna Sunday in Egypt

******

____________________________________

With palms in their hands, hymns on their lips, and peace in their hearts, New Martyrs were ushered from their churches in Alexandria and Tanta into the Paradise of Joy on Hosanna Sunday, the day and feast of the Lord.

All Christians… know that you are a light in the world, a source of good, and a means for peace. The whole world is under siege by an ideology of hatred… a cancer of the conscience. The same hands that skilfully designed weapons of harm could’ve discovered tools for a cure. This violent act against Christians is because evil can’t coexist with good, darkness can’t overcome light, and hatred can’t befriend peace, but death can’t separate us from God.

He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall He take away from off all the earth: for the Lord has spoken it.

Prophecy of Isaias 25.8

All our churches and noble citizens throughout the world are praying for the peace and safety of all persecuted Christians, Confessors, and Martyrs. Holy Week is a time devoted to the Lord’s Passion. At all times, the Lord loved. Even when afflicted and crucified, He loved. This is a time for prayer for the entire world. We remain in prayer for the safety of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, all the Confessors of the Christian faith, the families of the Martyrs, and all the injured victims. On behalf of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States, I offer our deepest condolences to everyone afflicted by this sad day in Egyptian history.

+Bishop Youssef

Ruling Hierarch

Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States

10 April 2017

Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States

Facebook

11 April 2017. 43 Dead in Egypt… Patriarch Tawadros Escaped Injury

____________________________________

On Palm Sunday, a bomb went off in St Mark Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Alexandria in Egypt. 43 died and hundreds more injured… the Islamists struck again. Their intent was to drive a wedge between Christians and sane Muslims (the Islamists hate them almost as badly as they hate the Christians… how dare they associate with and defend infidels!). I think that they failed. Yes… they killed Christians… yes… they disrupted a major Christian holy day… but no, they didn’t divide the normal people of Egypt. Yes, the violence will continue… far too much of it, I’d say. However, the Egyptian government will do its best to nick the perps and give them their just deserts. It’s not Saudi Arabia, where Christians must go about in fear. Yes, there are feral Muslims, and we do wrong to ignore that fact. On the other hand, remember that such fanatics are heretics in Muslim terms… yes, heretics. Sadly, these fanatic heretics run the KSA, and they use their money to spread this contagion. So… be vigilant, but differentiate between the Saudi-financed bigots and the “silent majority”. As one of my friends told me, “If I had wanted to live under Wahhabism, I’d move to Saudi Arabia. No, thank you”.

Meanwhile, pray for the dead… we’re Christians; that’s what we do…

BMD