Following the Meeting of the Patriarchs of the Syriac Churches
Held at the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchal Residence in Atchaneh – Lebanon
December 16, 2022
ܒܫܡ ܐܒܐ ܘܒܪܐ ܘܪܘܚܐ ܩܕܝܫܐ܆ ܚܕ ܐܠܗܐ ܫܪܝܪܐ܆ ܐܡܝܢ
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, One True God, Amen
We, Patriarchs, Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East,
Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rai, Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and All the East,
Mor Ignatius Youssef III Younan, Syriac Catholic Patriarch of Antioch,
Cardinal Mar Louis Raphael Sako, Patriarch of the Chaldeans in Iraq and the World,
And Mar Awa III Royel, Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East in Iraq and the World,
We thank God for granting us to gather in His holy name as brothers and church shepherds together in this official meeting of the Patriarchs of the Syriac heritage churches, at the invitation of the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East.
In our meeting today, we discussed, through research and study, issues of common interest, and emphasized the following:
Syriac spirituality
Our churches are proud of their ancient Syriac heritage, which unites them and constitutes a rich sacred historical heritage that stems from our historical unity, our single Syriac language, and our common church and liturgical rites. Our Syriac spirituality is rooted in our churches, and we live it in the Eucharist, the Church’s prayers, and the teaching of the Syriac saints fathers who enriched the whole universal Church with a spirituality that has tested and continues to experience the depth of monastic life and the missionary dimension, and it is aware of its message in the world, and it has brought the Christian faith to the countries of the Near East, including India.
It is also proud of this distinctive treasure that its fathers passed on from the dawn of Christianity through centuries punctuated by many troubles and tribulations. However, our churches clung to their legacy and preserved throughout their historical path the teachings and traditions that they inherited with apostolic fidelity, zeal and leadership. And here we are today, we find it necessary to strengthen the bond between our churches and intensify cooperation among them at various levels, in the service of our spiritual children everywhere, and in an effort to spread our Syriac heritage, shed light on it and preserve it with all care as a precious pearl and a sacred deposit for generations.
Syriac Presence in the Middle East and Pastoral Challenges
We affirm that we are one Syriac people, rooted in the beloved East and we form its essential constituents, despite our number and the variety of our apostolic traditions. Our witness to our Christian faith in general, and to our Syriac identity in particular, is a constant source of concern for us. Therefore, we took the time to deepen our role in the East and to find ways to activate it and strengthen it. We discussed the available means of supporting our people to remain in the homeland which was baptized with the blood of our forefathers and ancestors. In this regard, we have renewed our firm resolve to continue our fatherly ministry to our people in order to help them remain in their countries and to stop the migrations caused by the current conflicts and political, economic, and social difficult conditions that the world is witnessing, and that is significantly affecting in the Middle East. Therefore, we pray for our countries’ citizens who are suffering because of these crises that are affecting their daily lives. We assure them to continue our Christian witness and ministry to help all people and preserve their dignities and rights.
Syriac Presence in the Diaspora
We are worried about the dispersion of the faithful of our churches in the diaspora after being forced to migrate from their homeland in the East because of violence, persecution and uprooting, as well as the difficult living conditions. We follow their affairs and make sure to provide them with the spiritual and pastoral care they need. We encourage them to hold firmly to the faith of their forefathers and to their identity and heritage. We also support them to spread this historical heritage in their new countries and societies in order to transmit it to the new generations. Even though they were forced to physically leave their homeland, we inspire them to preserve close and strong relationships with their original countries in the East, by supporting the just causes of their people and continuously visiting the land of their ancestors, offering support to their spiritual leaders who were entrusted to directly take care of them in the diaspora, and helping the church to perform its pastoral mission in the tormented East, on different levels, namely in education, healthcare and social care.
Witnessing Together:
We thank God for the efforts of our churches to continuously seek the desired unity in faith, especially by participating in different commissions for official theological dialogues among the churches. We respect the theological and doctrinal specifications of each of our churches and emphasize the strong connection of the ecumenism of blood that unites us in witnessing to our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and in defending our existence in our countries, as well as our ecumenical commitment to the diakonia for the service of Man, created in the image of God and in His example.
Common Syriac Heritage
We appreciate all the initiatives and activities that have tried to study our common Syriac patrimony and transmit it. We affirm the following:
Our sincere desire to find common methods to teach the sacred Syriac language which was spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ and used by the holy apostles to preach the gospel. We encourage its propagation and support advanced studies with the traditional and modern means.
Importance of strengthening academic cooperation and exchange (especially among the theological schools).
Revival of the conferences on Christian Heritage.
Forming common committees to discuss matters of common interest, especially in the fields of liturgy and culture.
Convening meetings and conferences as well as organizing activities among the members of our churches in the East and throughout the diaspora, to raise awareness about our common Syriac identity and presence, motivating the coming generations to preserve their connection and attachment to the historical heritage we have.
Finally, we would like to thank the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch for taking the initiative to call for this historical meeting and for the good hospitality as well as preparing a fraternal atmosphere for it.
We thank the Lord Who blessed our meetings and discussions. We ask Him to pour upon us the gifts of His Holy Spirit to continue to witness to Him courageously and wisely. We ask Him to support us while we work together for the sake of His flock which He entrusted us to tend to and the preservation of our great Syriac heritage. We pray for peace, security, justice and stability in the whole world, especially in the beloved East which is the cradle of Christianity, the soil of our roots, and the birth place of our civilization, heritage and culture. We are rooted in this land and for its sake the church has offered great sacrifices. In particular, we remember the suffering of the two kidnapped Archbishops: Mor Gregorius Youhanna Ibrahim and Boulos Yaziji, with the kidnapped priests and laypeople; we pray for them and ask all to work hard to reveal their fate. We renew our call to our Syriac people to be proud of their past and present and remain firmly attached to their homeland, witnessing to Christ with love, joy, and tolerance with our fellow citizens, trusting the words of our Lord to His Church: “God is in the amidst of her; she shall not be moved” (Psalm 46: 5) and “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” (Mathew 28: 20).
On the occasion of Christmas, the New Year and Denho (Epiphany), we offer our greetings and blessings to the faithful people of our Syriac churches throughout the world, and with the angels of Bethlehem, we pray with great hope for peace in the whole world.
Joint Statement
Following the Meeting of the Patriarchs of the Syriac Churches
Held at the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchal Residence in Atchaneh – Lebanon
December 16, 2022
ܒܫܡ ܐܒܐ ܘܒܪܐ ܘܪܘܚܐ ܩܕܝܫܐ܆ ܚܕ ܐܠܗܐ ܫܪܝܪܐ܆ ܐܡܝܢ
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, One True God, Amen
We, Patriarchs, Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East,
Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rai, Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and All the East,
Mor Ignatius Youssef III Younan, Syriac Catholic Patriarch of Antioch,
Cardinal Mar Louis Raphael Sako, Patriarch of the Chaldeans in Iraq and the World,
And Mar Awa III Royel, Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East in Iraq and the World,
We thank God for granting us to gather in His holy name as brothers and church shepherds together in this official meeting of the Patriarchs of the Syriac heritage churches, at the invitation of the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East.
In our meeting today, we discussed, through research and study, issues of common interest, and emphasized the following:
Syriac spirituality
Our churches are proud of their ancient Syriac heritage, which unites them and constitutes a rich sacred historical heritage that stems from our historical unity, our single Syriac language, and our common church and liturgical rites. Our Syriac spirituality is rooted in our churches, and we live it in the Eucharist, the Church’s prayers, and the teaching of the Syriac saints fathers who enriched the whole universal Church with a spirituality that has tested and continues to experience the depth of monastic life and the missionary dimension, and it is aware of its message in the world, and it has brought the Christian faith to the countries of the Near East, including India.
It is also proud of this distinctive treasure that its fathers passed on from the dawn of Christianity through centuries punctuated by many troubles and tribulations. However, our churches clung to their legacy and preserved throughout their historical path the teachings and traditions that they inherited with apostolic fidelity, zeal and leadership. And here we are today, we find it necessary to strengthen the bond between our churches and intensify cooperation among them at various levels, in the service of our spiritual children everywhere, and in an effort to spread our Syriac heritage, shed light on it and preserve it with all care as a precious pearl and a sacred deposit for generations.
Syriac Presence in the Middle East and Pastoral Challenges
We affirm that we are one Syriac people, rooted in the beloved East and we form its essential constituents, despite our number and the variety of our apostolic traditions. Our witness to our Christian faith in general, and to our Syriac identity in particular, is a constant source of concern for us. Therefore, we took the time to deepen our role in the East and to find ways to activate it and strengthen it. We discussed the available means of supporting our people to remain in the homeland which was baptized with the blood of our forefathers and ancestors. In this regard, we have renewed our firm resolve to continue our fatherly ministry to our people in order to help them remain in their countries and to stop the migrations caused by the current conflicts and political, economic, and social difficult conditions that the world is witnessing, and that is significantly affecting in the Middle East. Therefore, we pray for our countries’ citizens who are suffering because of these crises that are affecting their daily lives. We assure them to continue our Christian witness and ministry to help all people and preserve their dignities and rights.
Syriac Presence in the Diaspora
We are worried about the dispersion of the faithful of our churches in the diaspora after being forced to migrate from their homeland in the East because of violence, persecution and uprooting, as well as the difficult living conditions. We follow their affairs and make sure to provide them with the spiritual and pastoral care they need. We encourage them to hold firmly to the faith of their forefathers and to their identity and heritage. We also support them to spread this historical heritage in their new countries and societies in order to transmit it to the new generations. Even though they were forced to physically leave their homeland, we inspire them to preserve close and strong relationships with their original countries in the East, by supporting the just causes of their people and continuously visiting the land of their ancestors, offering support to their spiritual leaders who were entrusted to directly take care of them in the diaspora, and helping the church to perform its pastoral mission in the tormented East, on different levels, namely in education, healthcare and social care.
Witnessing Together:
We thank God for the efforts of our churches to continuously seek the desired unity in faith, especially by participating in different commissions for official theological dialogues among the churches. We respect the theological and doctrinal specifications of each of our churches and emphasize the strong connection of the ecumenism of blood that unites us in witnessing to our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and in defending our existence in our countries, as well as our ecumenical commitment to the diakonia for the service of Man, created in the image of God and in His example.
Common Syriac Heritage
We appreciate all the initiatives and activities that have tried to study our common Syriac patrimony and transmit it. We affirm the following:
Our sincere desire to find common methods to teach the sacred Syriac language which was spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ and used by the holy apostles to preach the gospel. We encourage its propagation and support advanced studies with the traditional and modern means.
Importance of strengthening academic cooperation and exchange (especially among the theological schools).
Revival of the conferences on Christian Heritage.
Forming common committees to discuss matters of common interest, especially in the fields of liturgy and culture.
Convening meetings and conferences as well as organizing activities among the members of our churches in the East and throughout the diaspora, to raise awareness about our common Syriac identity and presence, motivating the coming generations to preserve their connection and attachment to the historical heritage we have.
Finally, we would like to thank the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch for taking the initiative to call for this historical meeting and for the good hospitality as well as preparing a fraternal atmosphere for it.
We thank the Lord Who blessed our meetings and discussions. We ask Him to pour upon us the gifts of His Holy Spirit to continue to witness to Him courageously and wisely. We ask Him to support us while we work together for the sake of His flock which He entrusted us to tend to and the preservation of our great Syriac heritage. We pray for peace, security, justice and stability in the whole world, especially in the beloved East which is the cradle of Christianity, the soil of our roots, and the birth place of our civilization, heritage and culture. We are rooted in this land and for its sake the church has offered great sacrifices. In particular, we remember the suffering of the two kidnapped Archbishops: Mor Gregorius Youhanna Ibrahim and Boulos Yaziji, with the kidnapped priests and laypeople; we pray for them and ask all to work hard to reveal their fate. We renew our call to our Syriac people to be proud of their past and present and remain firmly attached to their homeland, witnessing to Christ with love, joy, and tolerance with our fellow citizens, trusting the words of our Lord to His Church: “God is in the amidst of her; she shall not be moved” (Psalm 46: 5) and “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” (Mathew 28: 20).
On the occasion of Christmas, the New Year and Denho (Epiphany), we offer our greetings and blessings to the faithful people of our Syriac churches throughout the world, and with the angels of Bethlehem, we pray with great hope for peace in the whole world.
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