Family, the Joy of Life

Pastoral letter from Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East

Answers to Essential Life Questions

In the midst of a world marked by a culture of injustice, violence, despair and hate speech... families are facing many challenges and constraints leaving their fate to the unknown. They are pushed to search for answers to the thorny and confusing questions around them. Therefore, the Church plays an important role in accompanying the family, nucleus of society, and guiding it to overcome bumps and doubts in order to reach a safer life through great faith and hope in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Along those lines, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East and the Holy Synod of Antioch issued a Pastoral letter entitled "Family, the Joy of Life", " that they may have life, and have it to the fullest" John 10/10, addressed to the children of the Holy Antiochian See in the homeland and overseas, and thus to the whole world.

The letter is about Christian families and the challenges they face on many levels, presenting the Church’s approach to the dangers of these challenges and how to avoid its repercussions on the families’ upright lives in Christ and stability. Hence, the letter relies on the Bible’s thoughts, and the Church and Holy Fathers’ teachings. The letter also talks about different topics and issues on the theological basis for the concept of Christian marriage, contemporary challenges for the family, ethical and life related issues, and the role of the family in the life of the Church, in addition to several Pastoral recommendations.

This letter was issued following the decision of the Holy Synod of Antioch, held in Balamand, Lebanon, between October 3 and 10, 2019, and as a translation of its discussions of the topic “the concept of family, its situation and its needs” considering it a primary fundamental concern because of the challenges and difficulties surrounding families today.

In the letter’s introduction, he emphasized on the Holy Church’s duties as it extends its efforts in helping people achieve God’s will in their families, consolidating it in the right faith, living Christian values, and steadfastness in joy and hope. Thus, family would be a “small Church”, a living and shining witness in the world of Christ. he added that the Orthodox theology is distinguished by being a healing theology that pledges the human’s entirety and is concerned with his/her salvation. He mentioned that this is implemented first through diagnosing the disease, its causes, the dangers of its continuity, the repercussions of its exacerbation, and the identification of effective remedies.

To check and read the full text of the letter, click on the following link: https://bit.ly/3cj02Pr.

Communication and Public Relations Department