His Beatitude blesses the annual conference of…

His Beatitude Patriarch John X inaugurated the Annual Conference for the Orthodox Sunday Schools - Damascus Center, which was held in the halls of the Church of the Holy Cross in Damascus, in the presence of the reverend bishops, priests, and Fadi Al-Ash, Responsible for the Center, with members of the different branches from the parishes of Damascus and its countryside.

The conference began with chanting of the troparion of the hieromartyrs Nicholas and Habib of Damascus. There followed an introduction by Fadi Al-Ash, and an exhortation by His Beatitude. His Beatitude started from the Epistle of Saint Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews with the verse “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever”. He stressed the meaning of steadfastness in faith amid the wave of major challenges facing the church and the family. He insisted on tolerance within these difficult circumstances, while preserving the centrality of Christ and the essence of faith. He also recalled the verse “Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.”(He 13:7) to explain what it means to keep the deposit of faith received from the holy fathers. The latter gave everything to preserve it and were sanctified. Everyone’s greatest responsibility is to live by it and hand it on to following generations on the path of spiritual struggle and holiness, so that the Church of Christ remains the firm pillar of truth forever to meet the sweet face of Jesus Christ.

Then, His Beatitude honored Fawaz Khoury, who served in the Damascus Center for many years, and offered to him the icon of the Holy Hieromartyr Joseph of Damascus, the patron saint of the Center. He gave his apostolic blessing for the opening of the conference and blessed everyone present, wishing them to have a ministry for the Lord that is full of grace.