Consecration of Mor Aphrem and Mor Theodoros Church in Giessen

Syriac Orthodox Church – July 2016

His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II celebrated the consecration of Mor Aphrem and Mor Theodoros Church in Giessen.

Their Eminences Mor Philoxenus Mattias Nayis, Patriarchal Vicar in Germany, Mor Dioscoros Benjamin Atas, Patriarchal Vicar in Sweden, Mor Julius Hanna Aydin, Director of Foreign Affairs in Germany, Mor Polycarpus Augin Aydin, Patriarchal Vicar in the Netherlands, and Mor Timotheos Matta Al-Khoury, Patriarchal Vicar at the Patriarchal Archdiocese of Damascus assisted His Holiness in the consecration.
Hierarchs and representatives of sister churches also attended the consecration and Holy Qurobo which followed.

During his sermon, His Holiness spoke about the care with which King Solomon chose the best material to build the House of the Lord, as described in the Holy Bible. He compared it to the great care that the Syriac community showed in building this newly consecrated church. He then talked about the spiritual role of the church in being a house of the Lord but also a house to bring the faithful together under one purpose, to praise the Lord and receive spiritual nurishment.

He congratulated the parish priest Rev. Fr. Lahdo Aydin and decorated him with the Holy Cross honoring his devotion in the service of the church and the parioshioners. His Holiness also congratulated the faithful as well as the president and members of the board for their efforts to build the church and better serve the community.

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