Metropolitan Joseph Offers Encouragement, Solutions for Christians Struggling in Holy Land

Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America – (Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East) – 20/10/16

Although a shadow of death constantly hovers over them as a religious minority in the Holy Land and the Middle East, His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph shared a saying of Christians living there: “We live in a land that has already experienced resurrection, so we always have hope.” During his recent visit to Washington, D.C., Sayidna Joseph accepted an award for the Antiochian Archdiocese and gave the keynote address to the 18th International Conference of the Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation (HCEF).

On Friday night, October 14, 2016, His Eminence gratefully received the “Living Stones Solidarity Award” as HCEF honored the Archdiocese’s long history of caring for Palestinian Christians seeking spiritual support in North America. “This award is not bestowed only upon me as a Metropolitan,” Sayidna said, “but upon our Archdiocese, which encompasses faithful believers from all cultures, nationalities, and races.”

The next day, October 15, His Eminence identified the historic and current problems confronting the survival of Middle Eastern Christians and listed long-term solutions to help them. Among them: Strengthening their identity by exploring culture and history; promoting leadership development and personality responsibility; and fulfilling their needs by eradicating hunger, destitution, and sickness. You canread Sayidna Joseph’s entire address here.

On Sunday, October 16, His Eminence celebrated the Hierarchal Divine Liturgy at Ss. Peter and Paul Church in Potomac, Maryland surrounded by the clergy and hundreds of faithful. You can view a photo gallery from the weekend here.

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