Syriac Orthodox Metropolitan Consecrated for Guatemala

It has been announced that this past Wednesday Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatios Zakka (Iwas) of Antioch consecrated a monk as Metropolitan Mor Yacoub (Edward) to serve the growing Syriac Orthodox Church in Guatemala. Axios! More information will be posted as it becomes available.

New Syriac Orthodox Metropolitans Consecrated in Lebanon, Syria

In keeping with the decisions of the recent session of the Holy Synod of the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch two new metropolitans have been consecrated for the service of the Syriac Orthodox Church. In late October Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatius Zacchaeus (Iwas) consecrated Rabban Nathaniel (Yousif) in St. Gabriel's Church in A’ajaltoun, Lebanon, to the episcopacy as Metropolitan Mor Bartholomew to serve the Syriac Orthodox Church in the United Arab Emirates and the Gulf states. In early November, at the patriarchal Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul in Ma’arat Saydnaya, Syria, the patriarch concelebrated the consecration of Rabban Matta Fadel (Alkhoury), patriarchal secretary for India, to the episcopacy as Metropolitan Mor Timothy. Axios! More here and here.

New Coptic Orthodox Pope Enthroned

Pope Theodore II (al-Anba Bishoy) has been enthroned at St. Mark's Cathedral in the Cairene district of Abbasiya as patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria and 118th successor to St. Mark. The enthronement prayer was read by Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatius Zacchaeus (Iwas) of the Syriac Orthodox Church. Axios!

Syriac Orthodox Patriarch Undergoes Surgery in Germany

Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatius Zacchaeus I (Iwas) of the Syriac Orthodox Church underwent a successful surgery this morning in Hanover, Germany. Prayers for his continued good health and recovery are appreciated as the patriarch convalesces in Hanover over the next few days. More in Arabic here.

Syriac Orthodox Patriarch Visiting Jordanian Capital

Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatios Zakka I (Iwas) of Antioch has begun a pastoral visit to the Syriac Orthodox Church in Jordan, meeting with representatives of the Suryoyo community in the Jordanian capital, Amman, and consecrating the city's large new Church of St. Ephraim, which was filled to capacity. More (in Arabic) on the patriarch's visit can be found here.

Syriac Orthodox Metropolitans in Syria, Lebanon Meet in Damascus

This past Saturday Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatios Zakka (Iwas) of Antioch led a meeting of the Syriac Orthodox metropolitans in Lebanon and Syria to discuss the state of the Syriac Orthodox Church there. During the meeting the hierarchs also discussed recent developments in the life of the Syriac Orthodox Church in Germany and India as well as the Church's ecumenical commitments. More (in Arabic) here.

Syriac Orthodox Patriarch Returns to Syria

Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatios Zakka I (Iwas) of the Syriac Orthodox Church has returned to Damascus after traveling to Germany for medical attention. More (in Arabic) here.

Syriac Orthodox Patriarch, Catholicos Meet in Germany

Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatios Zakka I (Iwas) of Antioch has met with Catholicos Abun Mar Baselios Thomas I of the East in Germany to discuss the decisions of the recent session of the Local Synod of the Malankara Syriac Orthodox Church. More (in Arabic) here.

Patriarch Ignatius Zakka Meets with UAE Ruler

During his recent visit to the United Arab Emirates Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatios Zakka I (Iwas) of Antioch met with Sheikh Saud bin Saqr al-Qasimi of Ras al-Khaimah to discuss the state of the Syriac and Malankara Orthodox faithful in the area. During the meeting both emphasized the need for tolerant coexistence between the followers of different faiths. More (in Arabic) here.

UAE Church to Become Cathedral

On 13 May Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatios Zakka (Iwas) of Antioch will elevate the parish of the Malankara Syriac Orthodox Church in al-Ain, UAE, the Church of St. George, to the rank of a cathedral. Catholicos Mar Baselios Thomas I of the East will participate in the celebratory services together with other metropolitans of the Syriac Orthodox Church. More here.

Syriac Orthodox Patriarch Meets with US Ambassador to Syria

Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatios Zakka I (Iwas) of Antioch met yesterday with the US ambassador to Syria in Damascus to discuss the state of the Syriac Orthodox Church and the situation of the Middle East's Christians in Syria and throughout the region. More here.

New Patriarchial Auxiliary Consecrated in Syria

During the Sunday Liturgy today Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatios Zakka I (Iwas) of Antioch and seven other metropolitans of the Syriac Orthodox Church consecrated Fr. Mikhail Abboud Shimon as Metropolitan Mor Chrysostomos of Atshane in the Ma'arat Saydnaya Monastery's Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul. Axios! Metropolitan Mor Chrysostomos will be serving as the patriarchal auxiliary responsible for overseeing the patriarchal institutions in Lebanon. More here and here.

Syriac Orthodox, Maronite Catholic Patriarchs Meet in Lebanon

Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatios Zakka I (Iwas) of Antioch continues his visit to Lebanon with a stop in Bkerke to congratulate the newly enthroned Maronite Catholic patriarch on his election. More here.

Syriac Orthodox Patriarch Visits Zahle

This past Monday Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka I (Iwas) of Antioch visited the Syriac Orthodox church in Zahle that was bombed last week. During his time in Zahle Patriarch Ignatius Zakka prayed in the church and met with the faithful of the parish and the area. More here.

Syriac Orthodox Patriarch Affirms Support for President al-Assad

Patriarch Ignatios Zakka I (Iwas) of the Syriac Orthodox Church has called for an end to the political unrest in Syria to avoid the disunity, sectarian violence, and general regression that has plagued many of the Middle East's states in recent years. More here.

Patriarchs Bartholomew and Ignatius Zakka Meet at the Phanar

This past Friday Patriarchs Bartholomew I (Arhondonis) of Constantinople and Ignatius Zakka I (Iwas) of Antioch met together at the Phanar to discuss the latter's visit to Ankara and the state of the dialogue over Chalcedon by the Orthodox Churches. More here.

Syriac Orthodox Patriarch Meets with Turkish PM

Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka I (Iwas) of Antioch and several metropolitans of the Syriac Orthodox Church met yesterday with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, Turkey, to discuss the Turkish government's theft of land from St. Gabriel's Monastery in Tur Abdin. During the meeting Prime Minister Erdogan committed himself to finding a way to have the lands recently appropriated from the Monastery returned to it. More here.

St. Ephraim's Seminary in Saydnaya Celebrates Feast Day

This past Friday, the feast of St. Ephraim of Syria in the West Syrian Rite, the Syriac Orthodox Church's St. Ephraim's Seminary in Ma'arat Saydnaya, Syria, celebrated its feast day with Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatios Zakka I (Iwas) of Antioch. The celebrations included the ordination of new deacons at the festal divine services, a talk on St. Ephraim, and remembrances of the Seminary's founder, Patriarch Ignatios Afrem I (Barsoum) of Antioch. More here.

Syriac Orthodox Catholicos in Damascus

Catholicos Aboon Mar Baselios Thomas I of the East of the Malankara Syriac Orthodox Church has begun a visit to the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate in Damascus. More here.

Metropolitan of Zahle Visits Damascus

Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka I (Iwas) of Antioch received today Metropolitan Mor Yustinos and other representatives of the Patriarchal Vicariate of Zahle and Bekaa in Lebanon at his residence in Damascus. During the visit the the work of the vicariate in eastern Lebanon was discussed and Patriarch Mor Ignatius Zakka was invited to visit the area to bless its newest projects. More here.