Two Christian clerics die in Syria due to coronavirus

DARAMSUQ (DAMASCUS) and ALEPPO, Syria — Two Christian clerics have died from the coronavirus in Syria.

On Wednesday, the Catholic Church in Aleppo mourned the death of Father Edwar Tamer, a Franciscan, after succumbing to the coronavirus.

Meanwhile, the Syriac Melkite Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and the Rest of the East mourned the death of the Director of the Department of Ecumenical Relations and Development, Archimandrite Alexei Shehadeh, who died in Daramsuq (Damascus), after he contracted the virus.

The Catholic Church declared that the funeral of Father Edwar will be in the Cemetery Church, in the presence of the parish priest only. Furthermore, condolences will be exclusively extended through social media.

The Patriarchate of Antioch announced that Archimandrite Alexei Shehadeh would be buried on Thursday at noon in the Church of St. George (Bab Sharqi Cemetery) in Daramsuq. Furthermore, condolences would be accepted by phone and social media only. The Patriarchate also announced the closure of the department’s offices and centers for three days of mourning.

Archimandrite Shehadeh was from the village of Ayn al-Shuaraa in Jabal al-Sheikh.