President Al-Assad Affirms Church’s Role in Disseminating Amity to Face Takfiri Thinking

Damascus, (ST)- President Bashar Al-Assad has stressed the important role played by  the patriarchate of Antioch and All East in promoting amity and fraternity among people to face the danger of the takfiri thinking of which all people of the region and the entire world are suffering.

President Al-Assad’s remarks came during his meeting Wednesday with Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II Karim who was newly elected as the Patriarch of Antioch and All East and the Supreme Head of the World Syriac Orthodox Church.

The President congratulated Patriarch Karim on the new post, wishing him good luck and success.

Patriarch Karim, for his part, said that security and peace will hopefully prevail soon in Syria, where national unity among the people is a brilliant example to follow.

 Karim affirmed the Syriac Orthodox Church’s support for the Syrian people’s struggle to uproot terrorism and their right to determine their future away from any kind of foreign interference or dictates.

 Patriarch Karim was elected on Monday in Lebanon as the Patriarch of Antioch and All East and as the Supreme Head of the World Syriac Orthodox Church. 

Born and grown up in the Syrian city of al-Qamishli of Hasaka province in 1965, Patriarch Karim served as the archbishop of the Syriac Orthodox in the East of the USA.

H. Mustafa