The Joint Statement Issued from the First Meeting of the Patriarchs of the Syriac Churches

Below you can find the joint statement issued from the first meeting of the Patriarchs of the Syriac Churches, which was held on Friday 16 December 2022, at the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchal Residence in Atchaneh – Lebanon.

Joint Statement

Following the Meeting of the Patriarchs of the Syriac Churches

Held at the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchal Residence in Atchaneh – Lebanon

December 16, 2022

ܒܫܡ ܐܒܐ ܘܒܪܐ ܘܪܘܚܐ ܩܕܝܫܐ܆ ܚܕ ܐܠܗܐ ܫܪܝܪܐ܆ ܐܡܝܢ

In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, One True God, Amen

We, Patriarchs, Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East,

Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rai, Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and All the East,

Mor Ignatius Youssef III Younan, Syriac Catholic Patriarch of Antioch,

Cardinal Mar Louis Raphael Sako, Patriarch of the Chaldeans in Iraq and the World,

And Mar Awa III Royel, Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East in Iraq and the World,

We thank God for granting us to gather in His holy name as brothers and church shepherds together in this official meeting of the Patriarchs of the Syriac heritage churches, at the invitation of the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East.

In our meeting today, we discussed, through research and study, issues of common interest, and emphasized the following:

Syriac spirituality

Our churches are proud of their ancient Syriac heritage, which unites them and constitutes a rich sacred historical heritage that stems from our historical unity, our single Syriac language, and our common church and liturgical rites. Our Syriac spirituality is rooted in our churches, and we live it in the Eucharist, the Church’s prayers, and the teaching of the Syriac saints fathers who enriched the whole universal Church with a spirituality that has tested and continues to experience the depth of monastic life and the missionary dimension, and it is aware of its message in the world, and it has brought the Christian faith to the countries of the Near East, including India.

It is also proud of this distinctive treasure that its fathers passed on from the dawn of Christianity through centuries punctuated by many troubles and tribulations. However, our churches clung to their legacy and preserved throughout their historical path the teachings and traditions that they inherited with apostolic fidelity, zeal and leadership. And here we are today, we find it necessary to strengthen the bond between our churches and intensify cooperation among them at various levels, in the service of our spiritual children everywhere, and in an effort to spread our Syriac heritage, shed light on it and preserve it with all care as a precious pearl and a sacred deposit for generations.

Syriac Presence in the Middle East and Pastoral Challenges

We affirm that we are one Syriac people, rooted in the beloved East and we form its essential constituents, despite our number and the variety of our apostolic traditions. Our witness to our Christian faith in general, and to our Syriac identity in particular, is a constant source of concern for us. Therefore, we took the time to deepen our role in the East and to find ways to activate it and strengthen it. We discussed the available means of supporting our people to remain in the homeland which was baptized with the blood of our forefathers and ancestors. In this regard, we have renewed our firm resolve to continue our fatherly ministry to our people in order to help them remain in their countries and to stop the migrations caused by the current conflicts and political, economic, and social difficult conditions that the world is witnessing, and that is significantly affecting in the Middle East. Therefore, we pray for our countries’ citizens who are suffering because of these crises that are affecting their daily lives. We assure them to continue our Christian witness and ministry to help all people and preserve their dignities and rights.

Syriac Presence in the Diaspora

We are worried about the dispersion of the faithful of our churches in the diaspora after being forced to migrate from their homeland in the East because of violence, persecution and uprooting, as well as the difficult living conditions. We follow their affairs and make sure to provide them with the spiritual and pastoral care they need. We encourage them to hold firmly to the faith of their forefathers and to their identity and heritage. We also support them to spread this historical heritage in their new countries and societies in order to transmit it to the new generations. Even though they were forced to physically leave their homeland, we inspire them to preserve close and strong relationships with their original countries in the East, by supporting the just causes of their people and continuously visiting the land of their ancestors, offering support to their spiritual leaders who were entrusted to directly take care of them in the diaspora, and helping the church to perform its pastoral mission in the tormented East, on different levels, namely in education, healthcare and social care.

Witnessing Together:

We thank God for the efforts of our churches to continuously seek the desired unity in faith, especially by participating in different commissions for official theological dialogues among the churches. We respect the theological and doctrinal specifications of each of our churches and emphasize the strong connection of the ecumenism of blood that unites us in witnessing to our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and in defending our existence in our countries, as well as our ecumenical commitment to the diakonia for the service of Man, created in the image of God and in His example.

Common Syriac Heritage

We appreciate all the initiatives and activities that have tried to study our common Syriac patrimony and transmit it. We affirm the following:

Our sincere desire to find common methods to teach the sacred Syriac language which was spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ and used by the holy apostles to preach the gospel. We encourage its propagation and support advanced studies with the traditional and modern means.

Importance of strengthening academic cooperation and exchange (especially among the theological schools).

Revival of the conferences on Christian Heritage.

Forming common committees to discuss matters of common interest, especially in the fields of liturgy and culture.

Convening meetings and conferences as well as organizing activities among the members of our churches in the East and throughout the diaspora, to raise awareness about our common Syriac identity and presence, motivating the coming generations to preserve their connection and attachment to the historical heritage we have.

Finally, we would like to thank the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch for taking the initiative to call for this historical meeting and for the good hospitality as well as preparing a fraternal atmosphere for it…

This joint statement was originally published on the Facebook page of His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II. Please click here to read the full text.