Christian communities in Syria celebrate the Christmas
Syria, Politics, 12/26/2005

Christian communities in Syria celebrated Christmas Sunday with festivities and sermons observed in the country's main churches.

Sermons touched upon the difficult circumstances in the region, suffering of the Palestinian people due to the Israeli occupation, the situation in Iraq as well as the fierce pressures targeting Syria and Lebanon.

Patriarch Mor Ignatios Zakka I Iwas of Antioch and All the East, the Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church chaired a sermon in Damascus's Mar Jurjus Cathedral in which he spoke about the sublime values of Christmas and the divine message conveyed by Christ for salvation of humanity as a whole. The patriarch spoke about the current critical situation in the region where Syria is exposed to pressures and challenges, expressing the Syrian peoples belief in and absolute trust in President Bashar al-Assad's leadership. Eiwas said Syria will ever remain strong in the face of enemies and pressures and faithful to brothers and alliances; all faithful in Syria are mobilizing around President Bashar al-Assad in a coherent national unity to face the challenges targeting the country's national and pan-Arab principles.

In similar sermon the spiritual leader of the Anglican church in Damascus, Botrous Zaour, hailed the Christmas human meanings, elevated values and noble social impacts. Syria, the cradle of civilizations and religions since the history down, will ever remain an example of the religious co-existence, joint living and national unity, Zaour said.

Similar masses and sermons were observed in other churches and cathedrals in the capital. In al-Zeitoun (olive) church in Damascus the Vicar Patriarchal Archbishop Isidor Battikha of Rome Catholics highlighted the glorious occasion and commemorated the spirit of coexistence shared by all Syrians of diverse ethnic groups. A number of Islamic scholars attended festivities and expressed pride over the coherent national unity and co-existence Syria enjoys.

Meantime, similar masses and sermons were observed in other churches and cathedrals in all over the Syrian governorates to mark the occasion and to commemorate the spirit of coexistence shared by all Syrians of diverse groups and religions. For this occasion, Minister of Awkaf (religious endowments) Ziyad Eddin al-Ayyoubi and Syrias Grand Mufti Ahmad Bader Eddin Hassoun visited the spiritual leaders of the Christian sects and offered them their congratulations on the occasion of Christmas.

Peace and amity are the basis for salvation of humanity from justice, terrorism, killing and occupation, preachers stressed.

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