Syriac Orthodox Saint Mary of the Holy Belt Cathedral celebrates ‘Our Lady’s Day’ with performance by Choir of Mor Balai

HMOTH, Syria — In celebration of Our Lady’s Day the Syriac Orthodox Choir of Mor Balai from Tartus performed an evening of Syriac songs and hymns under the direction of Rania Shahda at the Syriac Orthodox Saint Mary of the Holy Belt Cathedral (Um al-Zennar) in Hmoth (Homs), Syria. The event was attended by Bishop Mor Timotheus Matta al-Khoury, along with a large crowd of clergy and parishioners.

The celebration began with a minute of silence to honor the souls of martyrs. This was followed by a welcoming speech from engineer Malek Barbar, head of the organizing committee. The Mor Balai Choir then delivered a series of Syriac hymns, showcasing the rich cultural and musical heritage of the Syriac Orthodox tradition.

Bishop al-Khoury praised the choir’s dedication to preserving and presenting these beautiful Syriac treasures and melodies, and in recognition of their contribution, he presented the choir with gifts. The Church Endowment Committee also presented a gift to the Bishop, expressing their love and appreciation.

The evening concluded with the Bishop leading the audience to the opening of a charitable food exhibition, marking the end of a spiritually enriching celebration.