Serbian Patriarch sends letter of support to Antiochian Church Primate

Patriarch John of Antioch and Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia. Photo: spc.rs

March 12, 2025 – His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia has sent a letter to Patriarch John of Antioch, expressing prayerful, compassionate, and fraternal support in light of the tragic violence in Syria, the official website of the Serbian Church reports.

"With great sorrow, we have received the news of the unprecedented and horrific crimes being committed these days against Christians and Islamic minorities – Alawites and Shiites – in the ancient and long-suffering land of Syria," the letter states.

The Patriarch emphasized that for Orthodox Christians, every human being, regardless of faith or nationality, is an “icon of God and a guardian of the sanctity of life.”

*"I have said many times, and I repeat now, that East and West are interconnected, and the suffering of the Syrian people today can easily spread to other parts of the world. Therefore, I appeal – from the throne of the greatest peacemaker of the Serbian people, Saint Sava – to all responsible figures in Syria and the international community to take urgent and concrete steps to protect the endangered population and put an end to these atrocities," Patriarch Porfirije wrote.

He also called on the clergy and faithful of the Serbian Church to include sincere prayers in their Lenten efforts for the repose of the souls of all Syrian martyrs and for the comfort and protection of their loved ones.

"I express special prayerful, compassionate, and fraternal love and support to the true friend of the Church of Saint Sava, His Beatitude Patriarch John of Antioch and All the East, and his holy clergy, who fearlessly, like the martyrs of the early centuries, once again bear witness to God’s love," Patriarch Porfirije concluded.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that Patriarch John of Antioch had called on Syria’s new authorities to stop the mass killings.

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