Antiochian Archdiocese: Litany for suffering Christians

All good things here. Praying for Christians in need of ardent prayers, organized process of making these changes, and real deference given to local bishops.

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To our Beloved Hierarchs and Clergy, Board of Trustees, Parish Councils, and Faithful of this Archdiocese:

Greetings and Blessings as we approach the Holy Fasting Season in preparation for the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos!

This season brings with it a very special spiritual experience in light of the fact that the Most Holy Theotokos holds a place of honor with us which is second only to her son, our Lord Jesus Christ. At all celebrations of the Paraklesis to the Most Holy Theotokos, the following must be included:

At the Ektenias, within the petition that begins “Again we pray for mercy, life, peace, health, salvation, visitation, pardon and remission of sins of the servants of God…” you should add “for the suffering Christians of Syria, Palestine, Iraq, all of the Middle East (any other country that may be locally appropriate)”.

PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THIS MOST IMPORTANT DIRECTIVE – From now on, all requests of any type which require any action from a hierarch must first be sent to the Local Bishop for consideration. Your Local Bishop will contact the Metropolitan, as needed, and discuss the matter, and reach a decision. When a decision is reached, either your Local Bishop or the Metropolitan will give you an answer, as appropriate. The Metropolitan will not consider any request which has not first been submitted to your Local Bishop. It is expected that this directive will be strictly followed.

May God Bless you all and keep you under His care.

Yours in Christ,

+Joseph
Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of All North America