On April 21, 2019, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II celebrated the Holy Qurobo on the occasion of Palms Sunday at St. Georges Patriarchal Cathedral in Bab Touma, Damascus. Their Eminences Mor Timotheos Matta Al-Khoury, Patriarchal Vicar in the Patriarchal Archdiocese of Damascus, and Mor Anthimos Jack Yakoub, Patriarchal Vicar for Youth Affairs and Religious Education, assisted His Holiness during the Holy Qurobo.
In his sermon, His Holiness considered that our Lord Jesus Christ – Who is the Prince of Peace and King of Kings – came to the Jews to fulfill the law, yet they rejected Him; He came to stand in the face of exploiting the poor and the widows, yet they hated Him; He came to make it clear that God does not care for appearances but for the salvation of mankind, yet they persecuted Him and laid hands on Him and arrested Him; He is the Messiah Whom they waited for centuries, yet when He came they despised Him. As if Jesus was asking them: Until when will you remain hardhearted and non-believers? Until when you reject the Grace of God and His salvation? Yet, they did not believe in Him despite their knowledge that He has fulfilled all the prophecies.
His Holiness invited the faithful to be like the children who were shouting and glorifying God; he said: Let us have the courage of those little children, so that we declare God as King of our lives, and follow Him to the Golgotha, that we may reach His Resurrection.
At the end of His sermon, His Holiness prayed for peace to reign all over the world; he prayed for the freedom of the two abducted archbishops of Aleppo Boulos Yaziji and Mor Gregorius Youhanna Ibrahim, who were kidnapped six years ago.
During the Qurobo, His Holiness presided over the special procession and rite for the occasion.
At the end of the Holy Qurobo, the band of the Syriac Patriarchal Scouts of Damascus performed beautiful Syriac songs and hymns.
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