Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II Visits Coptic & Armenian Orthodox Churches in London

Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate – 1/12/16

Visit to St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church in London

His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II visited St. Mark Coptic Orthodox in London.

He was accompanied by their Eminences: Mor Athanasius Touma Dakkama, Patriarchal Vicar in the United Kingdom, Mor Severius Hawa, Archbishop of Baghdad and Basra, Mor Theophilus George Saliba, Archbishop of Mount Lebanon and Tripoli, Very Rev. Raban Joseph Bali, Patriarchal Secretary and Media Office Director, and Very Rev. Raban Aphram Ozan.

His Grace Bishop Angelos, Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom, welcomed His Holiness and the accompanying delegation. He spoke about the Oriental Orthodox family of churches and the role of His Holiness in raising awareness on the suffering and persecution of Christians in the Middle East.

In turn, His Holiness spoke the common witness of the Christians in the Middle East. He mentioned that persecutions are not strange to the Christian Church and people have suffered from persecution since the beginning of Christianity. He urged all to pray for the suffering people and to assist in all the ways they can in order to support our people and help them remain in their homeland in the Middle East.

His Holiness concluded the prayer service with a blessing to the faithful gathered in the church.
A reception in honor of His Holiness followed in the church hall.

Visit to St. Sarkis Armenian Orthodox Church in London

His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II visited St. Sarkis Armenian Orthodox in London.
He was accompanied by their Eminences: Mor Athanasius Touma Dakkama, Patriarchal Vicar in the United Kingdom, Mor Severius Hawa, Archbishop of Baghdad and Basra, Mor Theophilus George Saliba, Archbishop of Mount Lebanon and Tripoli, Very Rev. Raban Joseph Bali, Patriarchal Secretary and Media Office Director, and Very Rev. Raban Aphram Ozan.

His Grace Archbishop Hovakim Manoukian, Primate of the Armenian Church in London, welcomed His Holiness and the accompanying delegation. He spoke about the good relations among the two sister churches: the Syriac Orthodox Church and the Armenian Orthodox Church. He also remembered the successful visits of His Holiness to Armenia and the brotherly meetings with His Holiness Catholicos Karekin II.

In turn, His Holiness spoke about the history of the two sister churches since the dawn of Christianity. He mentioned the role of the Syriac Church Fathers as well as the scholars in spreading the gospel in Armenia as well as in creating the Armenian alphabet. Furthermore, he spoke about the common persecution and witness of the faithful of both churches, especially the Armenian and Syriac genocide where more than 2 million faithful from both churches became martyrs.

His Holiness prayed for the souls of the martyrs of the genocide and blessed the faithful who gathered in the church. The prayer was followed by a reception in honor of His Holiness.

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