05/10/2021

Daramsuq: Catholic Archbishop of Vienna visits Syria, celebrates Liturgy at the altar of the Martyrs of Sayfo

DARAMSUQ (DAMASCUS) – During his visit to Daramsuq, Archbishop of Vienna Cardinal Christoph Schönborn celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the altar of the Sayfo Martyrs in the Syriac Orthodox Saint Ephrem the Syriac Monastery in Maarat Sednaya, the seat of the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate. It is the first time a high positioned Catholic official celebrates the Holy Liturgy at the altar dedicated to the Martyrs of the Sayfo Genocide of 1915.

The Divine Liturgy was attended by Syriac Orthodox Patriarch Mor Ignatius Ephrem II, Syriac Melkite Catholic Patriarch Youssef Absi, Apostolic Nuncio to Syria Cardinal Mario Zenari, along with several bishops.

Prior to that, Patriarch Mor Ephrem II thanked Cardinal Christoph Schönborn for accepting the invitation to visit Syria, hoping to convey the countries of the West the true picture of the situation of the country and living conditions of Syrians in general. Cardinal Schönborn, for his part, expressed his joy in visiting Syria and emphasized his support for the Syrian people as he prayed to God to bring peace to Syria and the entire world.