Syriac Catholic Church finishes work of Holy Synod in Harissa, Lebanon

HARISSA, Lebanon — On 18 September, the Syriac Catholic Church met at the patriarchal headquarters in the Monastery of Our Lady of Deliverance in Lebanon.

During their meetings, Church bishops presented comprehensive reports on their dioceses in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, the Arabian Gulf, Jerusalem, Jordan, Egypt, and Turkey about their work and the difficulties they have faced.

They highlighted in particular the problems and difficulties, such as emigration, which pose a threat to the future of Christians in the East.

The Synod called on the governments and authorities in the East to seriously address the issues of discrimination and sectarianism.

Prayers and Holy Liturgies were held for Lebanon, which is now suffering from economic, social, educational, and health crises. The Synod also wished success for the newly formed Lebanese government of Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

They pointed out, however, the continued marginalization of the rights of Syriacs (Arameans–Assyrians–Chaldeans) in Lebanon who do not have a single representative in the new government and who were not given the opportunity to obtain high official positions in the Lebanese judiciary.

The Synod also called on Lebanese authorities to remove obstacles to the investigation into the Beirut port explosion and called on the government to investigate the theft of public funds.

Syriac Catholic Patriarch Mar Ignatius Youssef III Younan stated that Archbishop of Baghdad, Ephram Youssef Aba, was appointed as Patriarchal Director of the Diocese of Mosul after accepting the tribute from Archbishop Mar Youhanna Boutros Moshi who has exceeded the legal age of administration.

The Synod’s final message was a call to the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) people in the diaspora to preserve their faith and culture and stand against forces that could obliterate their culture. The Synod thanked the diaspora communities for continually standing by their brothers and sisters in the East.