Syrian Arab News Agency S A N A
Damascus, SANA- A divine mass was held on Friday morning on the occasion of birth of Jesus Christ, the Messenger of Love and Peace, in the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All East “Cathedral of Saint Goerge” in Damascus.
The mass was presided over by Patriarch Mar Ignatius Aphrem II, Syriac Patriarch of Antioch and All East, Supreme President of Syriac Orthodox Church in the world.
the Armenian Orthodox Archbishop of Damascus Armash Nalbandian participated in the Mass which was served by the Choir of Saint Ephrem in Damascus.
The Patriarch Aphrem II delivered the Christmas Sermon in which he talked about the meaning of the Merry Christmas, saying that the message of it can be summed up in one word “Emmanuel”, meaning that God is with us and strengthens us with challenges we face. God created this world to be with us in all difficulties;God who created this world is with us in every tribulation to get out of it victorious.
He added “From Damascus, the cradle of civilisation, we send our prayers and greetings to all the peoples of the world, asking God for health and blessings, and we send our love and warm congratulations to the sons of our church in all parts of the world. We pray to God to protect the children of Syria, Muslims and Christians, on top of whom President Bashar al-Assad and our brave army and the supporting forces that sacrifice in order to protect us from terrorism, to have mercy on the souls of the heroic martyrs, to heal the wounded, and to return every person who was forced to migrate to return to his country, Syria”.
Baraa Ali / Mazen Eyon