Syrian Arab News Agency S A N A
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Damascus, SANA – A mass was held on the centennial of the Ottoman genocide against the Assyrians, headed by Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, in Damascus on Sunday.
A number of heads and representatives of several Christian denominations in Syria participated in the mass which was held at St. George Patriarchal Cathedral. The mass was also attended by Minister of Social Affairs Kinda al-Shammat and members of the Syrian parliament (People’s Assembly).
Patriarch Aphrem II said the real martyrdom is the result of defending beliefs and principles, as is the case with the Syrian soldiers who are defending their country against terrorists, criminals and bandits who came from all corners of the globe.
He stressed that the genocide committed by the Ottomans aimed at clearing the area ruled by the Ottmans from all non-Muslim denominations and because the Assyrians or the Syriac, who have lived in the area since the first century AD, were viewed as alien from the Turkish identity as they knew only the Syria and Arabic languages.
His Holiness said that the current situation in Syria is similar to the situation during the Ottoman genocide, with new criminals embracing the same old mentality of rejecting the other and trying to eliminate all those who do not convert to their mentality or do share them their ideology.
He also reiterated that the Middle East’s Christians will not abandon their land and will never leave it.
After the mass, a moment of silence was observed for the martyrs of Syria and the Assyrian martyrs, then Patriarch Aphrem II lit a torch to mark the centennial of the genocide. His Holiness also inaugurated a photo exhibition on the genocide, and at the same time an official website for the centennial also went online.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2N78HBGfeE8
Mohammad Nassr/ Hazem Sabbagh
