Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II Visits St. Michael & St. Gabriel Monastery and the Merry Cemetry in Romania
Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate – 1/10/17
His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II visited the Archangels Michael and Gabriel Monastery in Şurdeşti, where he was received by Rev. Fr. Gregory.
His Holiness first raised prayer in the wooden church of the monastery, which is considered the oldest and highest wooden church in Romania. He then made a tour in which he was introduced to the history of the place.
their Eminences: Mor Theophilus Georges Saliba, Archbishop of Mount Lebanon and Tripoli, and Mor Timotheos Matta Al-Khoury, Patriarchal Vicar in the Patriarchal Archdiocese of Damascus, and Very Rev. Raban Joseph Bali, Patriarchal Secretary and Media Office Director, accompanied His Holiness on this visit.
His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II visited the “Merry Cemetry” in the village of Sapanta in Maramures County. He was received by Rev. Fr. Gregory and a crowd of faithful from the village.
His Holiness blessed the faithful and made a tour in the cemetery which is famous for its colorful tombstones with naïve paintings describing the people who are buried there as well as scenes from their lives, and is considered as an open-air museum and a national tourist attraction.
He was accompanied by their Eminences: Mor Theophilus Georges Saliba, Archbishop of Mount Lebanon and Tripoli, and Mor Timotheos Matta Al-Khoury, Patriarchal Vicar in the Patriarchal Archdiocese of Damascus, and Very Rev. Raban Joseph Bali, Patriarchal Secretary and Media Office Director.
