Syriac Patriarch Mor Ephrem II visits spiritual brothers Patriarchs Mor Joseph III Younan and Mor Boutros al-Raï at Easter

BEIRUT/BETH KERKÉ (BKERKE)- Syriac Orthodox Mor Ignatius Ephrem II on Monday visited Syriac Catholic Patriarch Mor Ignatius Joseph III Younan in Beirut and Syriac Maronite Patriarch Mor Béchara Boutros al-Raï in Beth Kerke (Bkerké) to congratulate them on the occasion of Easter (Syriac: “Nuhomo” or “Day of the Resurrection”). Mor Ephrem II, who was accompanied by archbishops Theophilus George Saliba (Mount Lebanon and Tripoli), Clemens Daniel Khouriye (Beirut), met Mor Béchara Boutros al-Raï in Beth Kerke (Bkerké) and Mor Joseph III Younan in Beirut.

The Syriac Orthodox Patriarch resides in Daramsuq (Damascus) but has a Patriarchal residence in Atchhane in Lebanon.

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This weekend the Syriac Catholic Churches, the majority of Syriacs are Catholics, celebrated Nuhomo according to the Gregorian calendar. The Syriac Orthodox will celebrate Easter according to the Julian calendar in a couple of weeks.

The Syriac Catholic Church, the Syriac Orthodox Church, the Syriac Maronite Church, and the Syriac Chaldean Catholic Church work together in the Middle East Council of Churches. The Ancient Church of the East and the Assyrian Church of the East are not members despite e.g. Patriarch Mor Louis Sako having advocated for the inclusion of the two sister-churches. It is no secret that the Coptic Orthodox Church is not an advocate of their membership.