His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II Consecrated St. James of Sarug Church in California
On 29 January 2022, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, consecrated St. James of Sarug Church in California.
During the consecration, His Holiness was assisted by their Eminences Archbishops: Mor Clemis Eugene Kaplan, Patriarchal Vicar for the Archdiocese of the Western USA, Mor Dioscoros Benjamin Atas, Patriarchal Vicar in Sweden, Mor Dionysius Jean Kawak, Patriarchal Vicar for the Archdiocese of the Eastern USA, Mor Timotheos Matta Al-Khoury, Archbishop of Homs, Hama, Tartous and Environs, Mor Maurice Amsih, Archbishop of Jazeera and Euphrates, and Mor Joseph Bali, Patriarchal Secretary and Media Office Director.
His Beatitude Joseph Absi, Greek-Melkite Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, Alexandria, and Jerusalem, and His Excellency Mor Barnabas Youssef Habash, Syriac Catholic Bishop of the Lady of Delivrance in the USA, were also present in the consecration.
The prayers of the Qudosho were followed by the ointment with Chrism on the altar and the walls of the church.
In his sermon, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II spoke about the church in which both clergy and laypeople constitute together the body of Christ and need to work together for the growth of the church. He added that the harmonious cooperation between the faithful is what allows the parish to develop and improve, while he pointed out that many challenges and difficulties will face the faithful during their ministry to the parish. His Holiness also spoke about the importance to solidarity to advance in the services rendered by the church and to continue to offer a good witness to the Gospel of the Lord in our spiritual lives which would be reflected in our society and environment…
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