Syriac Orthodox Patriarch Aphrem II leads dual ceremonies in Daramsuq to honor Sayfo martyrs

DARAMSUQ — In two solemn observances marking the 110th anniversary of the Sayfo Genocide, Syriac Orthodox Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II presided over evening prayers and a candlelight procession at the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate in Bab Touma on Saturday, then celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Martyrs’ Altar in Ma‘arat Saidnaya.  

Shortly before dusk on 14 June, the Patriarch entered St. George’s Cathedral in the heart of Old Daramsuq (Damascus) to lead Vespers. He was joined by Auxiliary Bishop Mor Youssef Bali, Patriarchal Vicar for Youth and Christian Formation Mor Andreas Bayhi, Patriarchal Secretary Mor Augin Khoury, along with dozens of clergy and hundreds of faithful clad in black in remembrance of their forebears.

Following the service, the congregation processed through narrow stone alleys carrying flickering candles and torches. The march culminated at the nearby Syriac Martyrs’ Garden, adjacent to Bab Sharqi, where Patriarch Aphrem offered the ancient Teshmeshto prayer, invoking rest for the souls of the hundreds of thousands of men, women, and children who perished at the hands of Ottoman forces and their Kurdish tribal allies. As he intoned the final petitions, attendants lit the eternal flame at the memorial, its glow reflecting off polished marble.    

Later that morning, in a separate act of homage, Patriarch Aphrem consecrated the Eucharist at an outdoor altar dedicated to Sayfo victims on the slopes of nearby Maarat Sadnaya — site of a famed sixth-century monastery. There, among olive trees scarred by years of conflict, he reminded worshippers that remembrance must be matched by action. “Our liturgy today is more than prayer,” he said. “It is a pledge that the suffering of our ancestors will inspire us to safeguard our ancient communities and demand international acknowledgment of these crimes against humanity.”

Celebrating the Holy Qurobo (Divine Liturgy) in commemoration of the Syriac Martyrs of Sayfo on the Altar of the Holy Martyrs in Maarrat Saydnaya, Syria #syriacorthodoxchurch #syria #البطريرك_اغناطيوس_افرام_الثاني #sayfo pic.twitter.com/k3A0W70u71

— Mor Aphrem II (@MorAphremII) June 15, 2025

The twin ceremonies in Daramscuq reflect the Syriac Orthodox Church’s broader campaign to keep the memory of Sayfo alive across the Middle East and diaspora communities worldwide. Each year on 14 June, the eve of Sayfo Remembrance Day, congregations recite the names of villages emptied by forced marches, recite hymns in Classical Syriac, and renew their appeal for formal recognition of the 1915 genocide by governments that have yet to acknowledge it.    

For many in Daramsuq, these rituals offer both consolation and resolve. “We are the heirs of martyrs,” said Rania Youkhana, a teacher who attended both services. “Their witness lives on in our prayers — and in our commitment to justice.”