His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II Inaugurates the Monastery of St. Antonios in Sadad, Syria
MECC Contributes in Its Restoration in Cooperation with “Kerk in Actie”
His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, inaugurated, in the presence of a delegation from the Middle East Council of Churches, the Monastery of St. Antonios in the Wilderness of Sadad. His Holiness also consecrated St. Antonios Church at the Monastery. The ceremony took place on Wednesday, September 27, 2023.
During the consecration, His Holiness was assisted by their Eminences Archbishops: Mor Timotheos Matta Al-Khoury, Archbishop of Homs, Hama, Tartous and Environs, Mor Theophilus George Saliba, Patriarchal Advisor, Mor Maurice Amsih, Archbishop of Jazeera and Euphrates, Mor Boutros Kassis, Archbishop of Aleppo and Environs, Mor Yacoub Babawi, Patriarchal Vicar for the Affairs of Monks and the Administration of Mor Aphrem Theological Seminary, Mor Joseph Bali, Patriarchal Assistant, Mor Christophoros Markose Abraham, Patriarchal Secretary for the Affairs of the Church in India, Mor Augeen Al Khoury Nemat, Patriarchal Secretary, Bishop Mor Iwannis Boulos Al-Souqi, and Armenian Orthodox Archbishop of Damascus Armash Nalbandian.
The Prayers of the Qudosho were followed by the ointment with Chrism on the altar and the walls of the Church, by His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, according to the rites of our Syriac Orthodox Church.
Mor Timotheos Matta Al-Khoury, Archbishop of Homs, Hama, Tartous and Environs, welcomed the attendees and expressed deep gratitude to the Middle East Council of Churches for implementing the “Restoration Fund for Rehabilitation of Faith-based Social Services & Religious Infrastructure Damaged During the Crisis in Syria” program, in cooperation with “Kerk in Actie” organization in the Netherlands, through which the Monastery of St. Antonios was rehabilitated.
He presented a commemorative shield to the Middle East Council of Churches as a token of gratitude and appreciation for their efforts in providing humanitarian aid through various programs in relief, education, capacity-building, and supporting all issues related to Christianity in the East.
He said, "We thank God for this grace and gift that He has given us on this blessed evening to reopen this Monastery, which we built 20 years ago. However, due to the war and the difficult days that Syria went through, life came to a halt here. But by the grace of the Lord, we were able to rebuild this Monastery to be a house for the Lord and a place for anyone who wishes to Pray and have a Spiritual Retreat. I consider this place a friendly space for the spirit, where those who come to it find the full spiritual nourishment they need. This is the only Monastery in the Eastern region that can accommodate about 50 people, and it is a good model number for a group of young people who want to come to the Monastery to Pray before the Lord's altar, read the Gospel, hear the word of the Lord, listen to the Priests' teachings, and exchange love and experiences among each other."
His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, spoke in brief about the Monastery in Sadad and its role in becoming an oasis for those who seek Spiritual Retreats. He also hoped that it would be able to offer different services to the people of Sadad as well as the neighboring villages.
It is worth noting that the Middle East Council of Churches has been working for three years on the implementation of the “Restoration Fund for Rehabilitation of Faith-based Social Services & Religious Infrastructure Damaged During the Crisis in Syria” program in cooperation with “Kerk in Actie” organization in the Netherlands.
During this period, several Church buildings, Monasteries, schools, elderly care homes, and youth centers covering various social, cultural, spiritual, educational, and capacity-building activities have been rehabilitated. These facilities belong to various Christian Denominations from different Syrian provinces. The work continues within this program to restore and rehabilitate all Faith-based Social Services and Religious infrastructure that were affected by the war in Syria.
