On June 15, 2021, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II presided over the evening prayer at St. Georges Patriarchal Cathedral in Bab Touma – Damascus.

Their Eminences Mor Anthimos Jack Yakoub, Patriarchal Vicar for Youth Affairs and Christian Education, Mor Boutros Kassis, Patriarchal Assistant and Patriarchal Delegate of the Archdiocese of Aleppo and Environs, and Armenian Orthodox Archbishop of Damascus Armash Nalbandian, were present at the evening prayer.

During his sermon, His Holiness assured that we meet today to pray for our world, that peace may reign everywhere, especially in the Middle East. We also meet with great hope that Sayfo genocide will not take place again, neither against our people, nor any other people in the world. His Holiness recalled the genocide and stressed that we as Christians are called to love and forgive, not only our neighbor, but also our enemy; therefore, we forgive those who committed this genocide against us; nevertheless, we pray that they may repent, and call them to admit the mistake which their forefathers have committed.

After the evening prayer, His Holiness and their Eminences led a walk of candles from the Patriarchate Headquarters in Bab Touma to the Garden of the Syriac Martyrs near Bab Sharqi. There, they lit the flame in front of the Sayfo Memorial and prayed the service of the Martyrs in memory of the Syriac Martyrs of Sayfo.