Christmas Mass celebration in Damascus

A great mass in celebration of Christmas day was held yesterday night at the Cathedral of the Greek Catholic in Al-Zaytoon quarter in Damascus.

After the mass the patriarchal vicar of the Greek-Catholic Archbishop Izidor Battikha pronounced Christmas preachings and urged people to consolidate their fraternity, solidarity and cohesion for the good of the society, the homeland and the humanity.

Archbishop Battikha greeted President Bashar Al-Assad national stances and his continued efforts for reinforcing the national cohesion on the basis of the real sincerity and love.

Speaking about the tragic situation in the occupied territories due to the policy of repression practiced by Israel in the occupied territories, Archbishop Battikha said that "this land which witnessed the birth of Jesus Christ who came to spread peace in the earth has been deprived from this peace under the Israeli occupation.

Meantime, Syrian Minister of Awqaf, Islamic Trusts, Mohammed Ziada yesterday visited representatives of the Christian communities in Damascus on the occasion of Christmas.

The minister visited patriarch of Antioch and all the East for Greek Orthodox, Agnatius IV Hazim, and Chief of the Syriac Church in the world Patriarch Zakka Iwaz I, Patriarch representative of Roman Catholics Assador Battikha, Archbishop of Syriac Catholics Elias Taber,and Pastor of the Maronite Patriarchate Rymond Eid, Representative of the Latin Community, Romaldo Fernandes and Pastor Secretary Gen. Anglican Sundus in Syria and Lebanon, Adib Awad.

Talks during the meeting dealt with the sublime meanings of Christmas.