Message
from the Heads of Churches
their
Holinesses and Beatitudes the Patriarchs
to their
communities and citizens in Syria
Their Holinesses
and Beatitudes
Ignatius
Hazim
IV, Patriarch of Antioch and All
the East of
the
Greek
Orthodox
Mor Ignatius
Zakka
I, IWas Patriarch
of
Antioch and All
the East
for the Syrian
Orthodox
Gregorios III,
Laham
Patriarch of Antioch arid All the East and Alexandria
and
Jerusalem of the Greek Melkite Catholic
The
Patriarchs
met
at St.
Ephrem
the Syriac
Monastery
in Ma'arat
Saydnaya
on the
morning
of
Thursday
15th
December
2011.
They
examined
the
situation
which
our
beloved
country Syria
is passing
through
for the
last
nine
months
of
events.
The
Patriarchs
explored
the
events
and its
outcomes
which
have
caused
pain
and
suffering
to
the country
and
to
the
people
in
all
aspects
of life.
The
Patriarchs
expressed:
- their
deep
pain
about
what is
occurring,
and
their
sorrow
for
the loss
of
the lives.
-
their
fear
about
the
decline of the economic
situation.
- their
acute
wishes to See
Syria
recovering
its
wounds
The
Patriarchs
hoped
that:
- citizens
of Syria
may come
back
to
each
other
in love,
tolerance,
cooperation
and wisdom.
- the
nation's
interest
may favor
any
other
interest
- the
people may
return
to their
authenticity
and
heritage,
and
to their
conscious
and
faith
in dealing
with
each other;
and
in
solving
their
problems
by their
own.
The
Patriarchs
rejected
all
sorts
of foreign
intervention
from
any
foreign
party.
They
called
for lifting
up
the sanctions
which
were
imposed
on Syria
under any
excuse.
The
Patriarchs
rejected
resorting
to the use of any type of violence,
The
Patriarchs
called
for:
- peace
and reconciliation
between
all
the
people
under the
name
of God
and the
nation.
- respect
the principles
of
justice,
freedom,
human
dignity,
social
justice
and
citizenship
rights.
The
Patriarchs
encouraged
the
steps
of
reforms
and
positive
actions
which
the
government
has
lately
recognized.
The
Patriarchs
are lifting
up their
warmth prayers,
in one
mouth and one
heart,
to
God Almighty
so that
He may:
- bless
the
souls of
those
who
died
- console
the hearts
of
those
who lost
people
- protect
Syria
and guide
it
to
the
shore
of safety,
peace,
sovereignty, and prosperity
The Patriarchs
are calling
on everybody
to join them in
their prayers.
They ask people
not to let the
fear
enter
their
hearts
because
not one single
piece of hair
will
fall from
the
heads without
God's
permission,
as
our
Lord
Jesus
Christ
taught us.
During this
Advent times,
their
Holinesses
and Beatitudes
are approaching all their spiritual
sons and
daughters,
as well as the
citizens
of Syria
with wholehearted
wishes. They are asking
the Lord Jesus,
the
God
before
all
ages,
Who
took
the flesh of humans
for our
salvation,
to place in our hearts
the
joy
and peace
which the angels
proclaimed
at the
night of Jesus'
birth;
together
with the
intercession
of the Mother of
God Mary,
everlasting
Virgin
and all
the
Saints.
St.
Ephrem Monastery
- Ma'arat
Saydnaya
- Syria
15
December
2011
Signed by:
رسالة من أصحاب القداسة والغبطة