Serbian Patriarch Irinej visits with Antiochian Church

(SOC) - His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej arrived to Beirut in early morning on Saturday, 1 June 2019. The Serbian Patriarch was welcomed by some members of the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Patriarchate of Antioch: Metropolitan Silouan of Lebanese Hills, Metropolitan Anthony of Zahlia, Vicar Bishop Luke, abbot Roman of the Balamand Monastery, protopresbyter Nectarius and many priests and monks, as well as by the Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia to Lebanon H.E. Mr. Emir Elfic.

Beirut is the capital and the biggest city and the port in Lebanon. It relies on a mountain range that is commonly referred to as the Mount Lebanon and is located at the shore that overlooks the Mediterranean. The larger and famous cities north of Beirut are Byblos and Tripoli, and on the south are Sidon and Tyre.

Beirut is a three-hour drive from Damascus, where the headquarters of the Antiochian Patriarchate is. Damascus was also the last destination of the delegation of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Immediately after the Serbian Church delegation crossed the border, a routine checking was carried out at the very border crossing from Lebanon to Syria.

Damascus is the capital and the largest city of Syria. It is located at the Barad River, at the eastern foot of the Anti-Lebanon Mountains, 80 km from the eastern coast of the Mediterranean, on a height of about 680 m above sea level. The climate is semi-desert due to shady rains from the Anti-Lebanon Mountains.

Upon their arrival in Damascus and a short rest, the delegation of the Serbian Orthodox Church, headed by Patriarch Irinej, went to the Cathedral church of the Most Holy Theotokos in Damascus, known also as Mariamite Cathedral.

An unforgettable welcome was prepared for the Serbian Patriarch. In addition to a large number of the faithful, Orthodox Christians – estimates say more than four thousands - on the square in front of the church, Patriarch Irinej was also greeted by a large number of children holding flags and flowers. Their mothers and wives, mostly, shouted to us some unknown welcoming words. Later on we found out their meaning. They blessed the one who come in the name of the Lord.

The meeting of His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej with His Beatitude Patriarch John of Antioch and All East at the entrance to the Cathedral church was very touching, brotherly. With a shouting of ladies, sounds of drums, trumpets and a loud chanting of the clergy we felt for a moment to experienece the times of the holy Apostles.

The doxology rite was attended by hierarchs of the Patriarchate of Antioch as well as by representatives of the Roman Catholic and Protestant Churches as well as by many statesmen and political personalities.

Sightseeing of the ancient city of Damascus

After the addresses of Patriarchs John and Irinej, delegations visited several landmarks of Damascus, the capital of Syria. They visited the Umeyada mosque or the Great mosque of the city of Damascus, one of the largest and oldest mosques in the world. It is located in the most important part of the ancient district of the city. It has a great architectural and archaeological value. The mosque in its interior has a tomb where, as it is believed, the head of St. John the Baptist abides, a saint whom both Christians and Muslims respect. The head was found during the excavations while constructing the mosque. The construction of the mosque was started between 706 and 715, on the site of a Christian temple dedicated to St. John the Baptist.

Thereafter, the delegation walked through the city and in the Christian quarter visited the church of St Ananias, an ancient underground building in Damascus, which is claimed to be the remains of the home of Ananias from Damascus, where Ananias baptized Saul, who became Apostle Paul. Remains of a Byzantine church from the 5th or 6th centuries were found during archaeological excavations in 1921, adding a physical evidence which supports a local tradition that the chapel has an early Christian origin.

Official talks of the two delegations

In the evening of the same day, Patriarch Irinej along with his delegation and the hosts returned to the Residence of the Antiochian Patriarch, where fraternal talks with Patriarch John and the hierarchs of the Orthodox Church of Antioch were held. The talks lasted long and related to many topics, among which, relations of the Patriarchate of Antioch with the Patriarchate of Jerusalem as well as the current crisis in Ukraine.

On the second day...

The Serbian and Antiochian Patriarchs were concelebrated by eighteen hierarchs, twenty four priests and five deacons. Patriarch Irinej was welcomed by several hundreds of people at the square facing the church of the Holy Cross. At the very end of the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy Patriarch John of Antioch and All the East delivered a speech. His Holiness Irinej thanked whole-heartedly for the welcoming words and addressed His Beatitude Patriarch John and the congregation.

Immediately after the holy Liturgy patriarch Irinej spent a few hours blessing the faithful, those who queued to kiss the right-hand of the Serbian Archhierarch.

Soon thereafter the delegation paid a brotherly visit to the Greek Catholic Patriarch Joseph Alabasi. Also in this holy place Serbian Patriarch Irinej was greeted solemnly. His Beatitude Greek Catholic Patriarch Joseph sincerely and with deep respect addressed His Holiness Patriarch Irinej.

In addition, His Holiness and the delegation of the Serbian Orthodox Church visited Syrian Jacobite Patriarch Mar Ignatius Aphrem II. The His Holiness Patriarch Ignatius wished a warm welcome to Patriarch Irinej stating in brief the suffering of his faithful and a history of this ancient and respected Church.

The solemn banquet in honor of the Serbian Patriarch to Antioch was given the same day, on Sunday, 2 June 2019, at the United Nations hotel in Damascus. The banquet was attended by ministers of the Syrian Government headed by the First Speaker of the Syrian Parliament Mr. Hamoud Sabagh, who is the first Christian in that position in the history of the Government of Syria; Mr. Imad Khamis, Prime minister of Syria; Dr. Buteyna Shabane, political and media adviser to the President of Syria: and Grand Mufti of Syria Ahmad Badr Al-Din Hassoun.

More than 850 high personalities and political, cultural, religious, economic dignitaries were addressed by the host, His Beatitude Patriarch John of Antioch and All East, who expressed a welcome to the Serbian Patriarch and emphasized the significance of his visit, which is not just a support to Orthodox Christians, but also to all who live and wants to live in peace in this region. Also Grand Mufti of Syria Ahmad Hassoun delivered an address carrying the similar important message.

On the third day...

The President of Syria Mr. Bashar al-Assad received His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, with two members of his delegation: Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral and Bishop Jovan of Sumadija, in the presence of His Beatitude Patriarch John of Antioch and All East, in Damascus, on 3 June 2019.

President Assad pointed out that what both Syria and Serbia have been exposed, in terms of foreign interference and attempts to undermine their sovereignty and social tissue, as well as persistence of the peoples of the two countries in facing such attempts, represents a solid basis for promoting a national dialogue and co-operation for long-term relationships serving the interests of both poples.

The Serbian Patriarch Irinej expressed his confidence in the ability of Syria to overcome the circumstances of life through which it goes and to restore its historical role of an efficient state while establishing stability and spreading peace and love in the region. His Holiness emphasized that determination and persistence of the Syrian people in maintaining the unity while facing terrorism, of which he also became a witness during this visit, have strengthen this confidence. Patriarch Irinej highly evaluated the principle-oriented and unwavering support of President Bashar al-Assad for Serbia in relation to Kosovo and Меtohija.

President Asad, in turn, expressed his respect for the deep human stance of Patriarch Irinej in promoting the values of love and the rejection of extremism.

Visit to Sacred Thecla monastery

At 10 o’clock of the same day, 3rd June 2019, the Serbian Church delegation with His Beatitude John and his hierarchs, guests and the entourage visited a great sacred place - the monastery of Saint Tecla. A convoy of eleven cars, accompanied by a strong police escort, immediately after leaving the city of Damascus faced with a terrible sight on both sides of the highway. Not only settlements, but entire cities were leveled with the land. The whirlwind of the war and the hatred of men slammed everything in front of them. There was no mercy to any one object, not even to religious ones. On both sides of the road we occasionally encountered clouds of smoke in the distance, the so-called mushrooms.

There are quite a lot of Christians in Syria. According to official data, about 10% of Christians live in this country: Orthodox Arabs, belonging to the Antiochian Patriarchate; Jacobites, Nestorians, Armenians of the Gregorian Church and Armenian Catholics. They all have their monuments and churches in Syria of which many are damaged now.

The sacred Thecla Monastery suffered also during the conflict. The worst situation happened to this monastery in the town of Maaloula, nearby the Lebanese border. Namely, “Islamic State” attacked the small town of Maaloula on 5 September 2013 and launched an attack on Christians and buildings, destroying all sacred places in the town. Three thousand people left the town, leaving only Moslems and 40 nuns of this monastery, out of whom twelve were kidnapped by IS at the beginning of the same year. Nuns were liberated in March 2014. This action was enough for the Christian world to understand that the religious war began. This is why Christians unanimously support the Assad government, realizing that if the opposition came to power, and in particular the radical Islamists, they and their cultural monuments would be exterminated first. To indicate, the sacred Thecla Monastery is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

And this time, and according to the custom of this country, the welcome was emotional. Hundreds of smiling and cheering men, women and children shouted joyful tones. Despite the great heat (over 40 degrees), a great crowd of people were devoutly approaching and kissing the holy right-hand of Patriarch Irinej. Soon afterwards, one of the men sang a short hymn of praise and welcome to the Serbian Patriarch.

After the doxology to Patriarch Irinej, the spiritual father of the monastery, Archimandrite Elias Ades, greeted the primate of the Serbian Church with his welcoming address.

After a tour around the monastery complex and a talk with the people, Patriarch Irinej spent some time in prayer in the cave of Saint Thecla.

In the monastery of the Most Holy Mother of God in Sidnaya

The monastery is dedicated to the Most Holy Mother of God. It was founded in 547 and it is located 30 km north of Damascus. It suffered a significant damage in recent years due to terrorist attacks. There are about forty nuns living in the monastery, who at the same time take care of an orphanage that is located within the monastery walls. The monastery was built by Emperor Justinian in the 6th century. It preserves a miraculous icon of the Most Holy Mother of God of Sidnaya, which, according to a tradition, was painted by Holy Apostle Luke.

Serbian Patriarch Irinej was welcomed by many people. A que of girls from the orphanage with flowers in their hands waved to the Patriarchs. Younger children held flags of Serbia and Syria. Sounds of the trumpet and drumming orchestra were heard in the background. At the doxology rite the abbess of the monastgery addressed the SerbianPatriarch.

This day was ended with a visit to the Embassy of the Republic of Serbian in Damascus. Patriarch Irinej and the delegation of the Serbian Orthodox Church, along with Patriarch John and His entourage, was welcomed by His Excellency Milan Vijatovic, Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia in Syria.

A visit of the monastery of Saint Belman in Tartous province at the Syrian coast, as well as of the monastery of Saint George in the Valley of Christians near Homs, the oldest Christian monastery in the west of Syria, built in 4th century, was scheduled on Tuesday, 4 June 2019.