Christian communities in Syria celebrate Easter, Gregorian Calendar
Syria, Religion, 5/1/2000

The Christian communities that follow the Gregorian Calendar celebrated the Easter on Sunday in Syria. The event was marked by sermons, prayers and other ritual festivities.

At Saint George's Cathedral, a mass sermon was held and headed by Patriarch Ignatius Zakka I Ewaz of Antioch and All-East Church and the Supreme President of the Orthodox Syriac Church. In his sermon Ewaz highlighted the significance of the glorious event and the sublime meanings of Jesus Christ's message in defense of mankind.

He spoke about the development of the Middle East peace process and Syria's unwavering stances towards it and about Israel's policy toward peace. He made a distinction between peace and surrender, stressing that peace is the life of peoples, while surrender means planting death and destruction in the "womb of the future."

Similar ceremonies were held in Aleppo to mark this occasion. Preachers talked about the teachings of Christ and his great sacrifices offered in defense of mankind.

Meanwhile, delegated by President Hafez al-Assad, the Syrian minister for presidential affairs, Haitham Dweihi, on Sunday conveyed the President's greetings, good wishes and congratulations on Easter to the spiritual leaders of the two Christian communities in Syria which follow the Gregorian Calendar (there are two calendars, the Julian and the Gregorian): the Greek Orthodox community led by Patriarch Zakka I Ewaz and the Greek Orthodox community led by Patriarch Ignatius IV Hazim of Antioch and the all the East of the Greek Orthodox Church.

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