News

Feast of St. Thomas, the apostle of India, the Patron Saint of STOTS

Feast of St. Thomas, the Patron Saint of the Seminary was celebrated on 20^th and 21^st of December 2018. The Perunnal Kodiyettu was done by His Grace Dr. Abraham Mar Seraphim, Metropolitan of Bangalore Diocese on 16^th December 2018 after Holy Qurbana.

Ceremony for the 2nd Anniversary of Aleppo Liberation

On December 23, 2018, upon the invitation of His Excellency Governor of Aleppo Hussein Diab, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II attended a ceremony on the occasion of the second commemoration of the liberation of Aleppo, at Al-Assad Stadium in Aleppo.

Christmas celebrated in all languages across UAE

Tens of thousands of residents across the UAE will be observing Christmas on December 25. With multiple nationalities in attendance at churches throughout the country, all will be catered to as multilingual vicars and priests will perform services from morning to night.

Anglican Community in Belgrade celebrated Christmas

The Anglican Community in Belgrade also this year traditionally held a Christmas mass in the chapel of Simeon the Myrrh-Gusher at the Serbian Patriarchate.

On the Eve of the feast day, 24 December 2018, His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch attended the Christmas mass officiated by Reverend chaplain Robin Fox. Many believers, mostly employed in the diplomatic corps in certain embassies attended. The festal gathering was attended also by protodeacon Stevan Rapajic, long-standing head of the Patriarchal Chapel, and deacon Aleksandar Prascevic, head of the Office of the Serbian Patriarch.

Ordination of 24 Qoruye (readers) for the Patriarchal Archdiocese of Damascus

On December 19, 2018, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II celebrated the Holy Qurobo at St. Georges Patriarchal Cathedral in Bab Touma, Damascus. He was assisted by His Eminence Mor Timotheos Matta Al-Khoury, Patriarchal Vicar in the Patriarchal Archdiocese of Damascus.

Two Pakistani Christians sentenced to death for blasphemy

Two Christians have been sentenced to death in Pakistan on blasphemy charges, the Centre for Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS) said on December 14.  Qaisar and Amoon Ayub, from Lahore, were arrested in 2015 after one of the two was accused of posting offensive material against Islam on their website. Qaisar and his wife Amina have three children, whilst his brother, Amoon is married to Huma, a teacher at Lahore Cathedral School.