Syria: A sad Christmas for Damascus Christians

Subdued out of respect for dead, but 'we are united'

21 December, 11:56
(ANSAmed) - DAMASCUS, DECEMBER 21 - No Christmas lights are strung up around Damascus, and not even a decorated tree can be found in the Christian quarter of the Old City, where even the churches are bare of adornments. ''Out of the respect for the dead,'' the Christian community seem to say in unison in Syria, where they account for 10% of the population and have long been one of the most integrated in an Arab country. It is for the latter reason that they have oftentimes shown their support for Assad's regime, which they feel protected by. And it is for this every reason that now - aware of the crisis afflicting the country - they are calling for Syrian unity.

The community is doing its part by renouncing all ''superfluous' Christmas symbols, observing the holiday solely through religious celebrations and within their families. ''There will be celebrations as always, but due to the situation and out of respect for so many who have died, in our church and our family we have decided to spend Christmas in our houses and limit the use of lights and decorations,'' said Milad, whose name means 'Christmas'. Milad works with his father in one of the many goldsmith shops of the souk, whose owners are almost all Christians. ''In Syria there is a problem at the moment,'' he said, ''there is a need for reform, but the situation is not like what some media outlets make it seem. And so the arrival of observers is a good thing. However, we must stay united, more than before, for our future.'' Concerns over what the future may hold in store are palpable. ''There have never been religious tensions here,'' said Iria, a 71-year-old Christian Protestant in her tiny linen shop in the Christian quarter of Damascus's Old City, ''we have always lived in harmony. We are now worried because there are people shooting and killing and we do not know who they are. And we don't know what will happen if the regime falls - in Egypt, after what happened, the Muslim Brotherhood are now taking over.

We do not know what could happen here, but we have always lived in harmony and we want to continue to do so.'' These are fears that Bishop Louka El Khouri, from the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, seems to want to exorcise. ''The Christian community in Syria is very strong, and as Christians we are not afraid - because we love our country and will stay in our country and we do not believe the media which tell us we should leave it. We will stay and live with our Islamic brethren.'' He then said that the Damascus Bishops Council meets every month and holds meetings also with Islamic representatives. ''At the beginning of the month the council met to discuss the situation. We are here for anyone who needs support. Even Muslims: every day I receive at least 10 Islamic friends.'' The support is almost always spiritual, however, and almost never material: the bishop says that the community does not fear any economic difficulties due to the lasting of the crisis which has led even to the inflicting of heavy sanctions. Among the Old City shopkeepers, however, it is inevitable that the effects are being felt. ''Of course revenues are down,'' said Basil, a Muslim who sells almost exclusively Christmas decorations and who said that he had only sold 20% of what he had last year.

''But it doesn't matter,'' he said, ''it is a choice made by Christians and we agree with them. Because we are united and at the moment there is no happiness in the country.''(ANSAmed).

http://www.ansamed.info/ansamed/en/news/nations/syria/2011/12/21/visualizza_new.html_16586294.html

H E Mar Severius Ishak Zakka, the Metropolitan of Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch, dies at 80

Mar Severius Ishak Zakka

MOSUL, IRAQ, December 21: His Eminence Mar Severius Ishak Zakka, the Metropolitan of Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch dies at a hospital in Bhkkadidha (Baghdaida), Qarakhosh (Qarakosh) on Monday December 19th, 2011 at the age of 80. His Eminence was admitted to the hospital due to a prolonged illness.

His Eminence Mar Severius Ishak Saka was born in Bartella, near to Mosul, Iraq in 1931 and was consecrated as metropolitan on 22 February 1981. His Eminence was the Metropolitan for St. Aphrem Seminary and In Charge for the Higher Studies and Research in Syriac and Former Metropolitan (Dayaraya) for Mar Mathai Dayara (St. Matthew monastery), Mosul, Iraq.

The funeral of His Eminence Mar Severius Ishak Zakka, was held on Tuesday 20th December 2011 at Mar Mathai Dayara (St. Matthew monastery), Mosul, the place the His Eminence served for a long period as a monk (Dayaraya). Mar Gregorios Yohanna Ibrahim (Archbishop of Aleppo and Environs in Syria) led the service as the envoy of His Holiness Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, Patriarch of the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch. At the end of the funeral service, Mar Gregorios labeled the body with Holy Oil (Zayto) and covered the face with `shushefo' veil. Mar Gregorios Saliba Shamoun (Retired Metropolitan of Mosul), Mar Dionysius Yuhanon Kawaq (Director of Patriarchal Office), Mar Nicodemos Dawood Matti (Archbishop of Mosul and Environs) assisted Mar Gregorios. Bishops and priests of sister Churches and hundreds of people thronged the Mar Mathai Dayara, on last two days to pay last respects to the departed Metropolitan.

Delhi Archbishop of the Indian Orthodox Church passes away

New Delhi: The Archbishop of Delhi Diocese of the Indian Orthodox Church, His Eminence Job Mar Philoxenos, passed away on 20th November 2011 Sunday morning due to renal failure following prolonged illness. He was 72.

The Archbishop breathed his last at the Kolencherry Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church Medical College Hospital in Kerala where he was admitted since September. Philoxenos had a history of kidney-related ailments and had undergone a transplant in 1993.
The funeral would be held at the Dayara on November 22 afternoon. Catholicos of the East His Holiness Baselios Paulose II would be the main celebrant at the funeral ceremony.

He was only the second Archbishop of the Delhi Diocese ever since it was formed in 1975, a statement said.

Born on May 8, 1939, to K C Thomas and Achamma of Kanianthara family, Job Mar Philexinos Metropolitan is the grandnephew of Catholicos of the East, the late Baselios Mar Geevarghese II. His mother was a niece of His Holiness Baselios Geevarghese II. He had his primary education at St John’s School, Mepral, and PMV School, Peringara. At 16, he joined Mount Tabore Dayara as a novice.

He was ordained a Deacon on May 26, 1956. In 1962, he was ordained a full Deacon at Parumala, and on May 11, 1972, as a priest. He took Masters degree in English Literature from St Joseph’s College in Tiruchirappalli. In 1969, he became a lecturer at St Stephen’s College, Pathanapuram. He was the head of the English Department and later became the vice-principal of the college. In 1974, he was appointed vicar of St John’s Orthodox Church, Mepral. Mar Philexinos was installed a Ramban on March 31, 1990, at St Peter’s and St Paul’s Orthodox Church at Parumala.

Kerala Chief Minister  Oommen Chandy pays homage to
His Eminence Job Mar Philoxenos- Courtesy: mathrubhumi

In 1989, the Malankara Syrian Christian Association had elected him as a Bishop of the Church. He was ordained the Bishop of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church (Indian Orthodox Church) on April 30, 1991 at Parumala Church. He was appointed assistant Metropolitan of Delhi Diocese. He took full charge of the Delhi Diocese after his predecessor Paulos Mar Gregorios passed away in 1996.

He was elevated as Metropolitan (Archbishop) on August 27, 2002, at Devalokam, Kottayam.

Mar Philoxenos is known for his initiatives to encourage women in the Church to the forefront and using Internet actively as a means to connect to Orthodox believers. He took the initiative to institute the Paulose Mar Gregorios Memorial Award, which was won by eminent national and international personalities, including Dalai Lama, socialn activist Baba Amte, father of White Revolution V Kurien, Kottakkal Arya Vaidyasala founder P K Warrier, and statesman Karan Singh.

Mar Philexinos was instrumental in taking up Shantigram Social Service project in Mandavar in Haryana, formation of self-help group for the womenfolk of Mandavar, retreat Centre at Sohna in Haryana, the first medical mission of the Orthodox Church in Delhi among others.

--Delhi Orthodox Church Centre Thuglakabad Institutional Area, New Delhi – 1110 062
Tel.: 011-29956417/29955203

Joint Declaration of the Heads of the Oriental Orthodox Churches

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, H.H. Patriarch Mar Ignatius Zakka I, Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, H.H. Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia of the Armenian Orthodox Church and H.H. Abuna Paulos, Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, give thanks to God for bringing us together here in Cairo, Egypt, on Monday, 14 November 2011, to pray together and to reflect together on matters and concerns pertaining to our Churches and the Oriental Orthodox Family in general. We were accompanied by metropolitans, archbishops and bishops of our Churches.

In fact, the Churches of the Oriental Orthodox Family are united in faith, theology, doctrine, tradition and spirituality. This strong bond of unity has sustained this Family and became a source of spiritual strength, missionary outreach and social action in spite of tremendous challenges and crisis which surrounded these Churches in the course of their long history. The unity of faith of our Family is grounded on Apostolic Tradition and the teachings of the first three Ecumenical Councils of Nicea (325), Constantinople (381) and Ephesus (431). We developed our theological teachings and shaped our doctrinal positions on the basis of the teachings of these Ecumenical Councils, and adopted a common position in respect to heresies and heretics.

It is vitally important that we re-affirm and re-strengthen our unity, and re-invigorate our Christian witness. In a world which is constantly threatened by secularistic and materialistic ideologies and different sort of heresies which may jeopardize the integrity, identity and unity of our faith, therefore, re-organizing and re-revitalizing our intra-family collaboration is of decisive importance. The Oriental Orthodox Family has a long and rich history. Its relevance needs to be re-affirmed and its common witness to be re-activated in those regions and countries where the faithful of our Churches have organized their church and community life.

For H.H. Patriarch Mar Ignatius Zakka I, H.H. Catholicos Aram I and H.H. Abuna Paulos, participating in the 40th anniversary celebration of the enthronement of H.H. Pope Shenouda III was indeed a source of spiritual joy and a unique opportunity to express our brotherly love and unity. The pontificate of His Holiness has been one of dedicated service to the sister Coptic Orthodox Church; a committed service marked by so many achievements in different spheres of the life and mission of the Church. We pray the Almighty God to strengthen H.H. Pope Shenouda III to carry on his pontifical ministry with renewed commitment and vision.

We appeal to our faithful to remain firm in their Christian faith and participate fully in the witness of our Churches. May God lead our Churches in faithfulness to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Glory be to God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.


14 November 2011
Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate
Cairo, Egypt

Pope Shenouda III

Patriarch Ignatius Zakka I

Catholicos Aram I

Patriarch Paulos

CBI questions head of Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch in murder case

Malankara Varghese murder case leads to Church

Mar Ignatius Zakka-I of Antioch with the Catholicose of
Puthencruz Mar Baselios Thomas I

Kochi (Kerala,India), October 21, 2011: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) unit, Thiruvananthapuram, on Friday 21th October quizzed His Beatitude Baselios Thomas-I, the Catholicos of Puthencruz and the Metropolitan of Angamaly Diocese of the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church of Antioch, in connection with the Malankara Varghese murder case at the CBI office here.The Catholicos of Puthencruz appeared before the CBI at its office in Kochi. According to CBI sources, the Catholicos of Puthencruz was closeted with investigating officials for three hours.

T M Varghese, also known as Malankara Varghese, a member of Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church’s managing committee, was hacked to death by a gang outside a car workshop on the MC Road near Perumbavoor on December 5, 2002. The CBI took over the investigation following a High Court directive in 2007.

The CBI made the first breakthrough in the case when in April last year it arrested Joy Varghese alias Cement Joy, who confessed he had hired criminals to murder Malankara Varghese, a member of Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church’s managing committee in December 2002 for a large sum of money.

Malankara Varghese

The murder is believed to be a fallout of the long standing feud between the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, headquartered in Kottayam, and the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church of Antioch, which has its headquarters in Ernakulam district. The thirty-six-old feud between the two churches has always been a bother for successive governments in the state and, on several occasions in the past, feuds between the followers of the two churches have ended in brawls.

Joy Varghese later admitted to the role of Fr Varghese Thekkekara, a priest and the manager of the Angamaly Diocese of the rival Jacobite Syrian Christian Church, in the conspiracy in the murder of Malankara Varghese. In May last year, the CBI filed its chargesheet, naming priest Varghese Thekekara, manager of the Angamali diocese of the Syrian Jacobite Church, as the first accused in the murder of Malankara Varghese.

In February this year, Saramma Varghese, widow of the murdered Malankara Varghese, said that without the help of church higher-ups, this would not have happened. She later filed a petition before the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Court, Ernakulam that the investigation could not be completed without questioning the church higher-ups and the magistrate gave the nod to the CBI to go ahead with their job.


The Indo-Asian News Service (IANS)
Express News Service , The New Indian Express

Malankara Orthodox condemns violence against Coptic Christians

,

Ahmedabad: H E Pullikkottil Dr Geevarghese Yulios, Metropolitan of Ahmedbad Diocese of the Indian Orthodox Church of the East, has issued a Kalpana supporting the cause of the Coptic Christians who have been subjected to serious violence in Egypt. Sectarian clashes had killed 24 people, mainly Coptic Christians, last week. Dr Geevarghese Mar Yulios has issued a Kalpana from Bengaluru from where he is presently camping begins with offering prayers to Almighty for the Coptic Church.
It goes further: “The perpetrators of violence on Copts in which many people were killed this month in clashes during a demonstration over an attack on a church are condemnable. Action has not been undertaken to solve the problems of Egypt’s Coptic Christians headed by His Holiness Pope Shenuda III.”

“The Christian faith denounces violence. Some strangers infiltrated our sons and commit the wrongs for which the Copts have been blamed,” the church has rightly said in a statement.
The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church strongly condemns such acts by the Egyptian military and it extends full support towards their just cause. The church also extends its help and prays for them to tide over their present hour of crisis.

Last week, HH Pope Shenuda III, head of the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, had called upon all the Oriental Christian churches to support their cause and fast for 3 days.

The Kalpana further notes the Copts felt that these problems occurred repeatedly without the perpetrators being held to account, the law being enforced or root causes of the problems resolved. The government’s decision after the deadly unrest that it would prepare within a month a legislation to lift restrictions on church building and banning demonstrations outside places of worship is welcome.

Dr Mar Yulios has wished the Copts blessings and to enable them to continue God’s Ministry. Christians, make up about 10 per cent of Egypt’s 80 million people. Islamists have been using disputes over the legal status of some church buildings to stir up sectarian conflict.

Source: orthodoxchurch.in

Maspero clashes a conspiracy by SCAF, say political powers, witnesses

By Heba Fahmy / Daily News Egypt October 13, 2011, 6:20 pm

CAIRO: The events of Oct. 9 were a full-fledged conspiracy led by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) to kill peaceful protesters, Muslims and Christians, according to a statement released Thursday by 29 political powers and public figures at a press conference Thursday.
"SCAF faced the peaceful march with live ammunition and armored trucks that ran over Egyptian citizens in a massacre that saw unprecedented violence," the statement read.
The political powers called for trying all those involved in the Maspero massacre, including the chief of military police General Hamdy Badin, Minister of Information Osama Heikal and the Governor of Aswan, Mostafa Al-Sayed.
They also called for cleansing state media and canceling the Ministry of Information, in addition to heeding to the Copts’ demands and issuing a unified houses of worship law.
The political powers and public figures included the Coalition of the Revolutionary Youth, the April 6 Youth Movement, the Democratic Labor and the Free Egyptian parties, in addition to actor Amr Waked and business tycoon Naguib Sawiris.
During the conference, a video was played showing armored trucks driven by armed military police running over protesters.
In one clip, a military officer is riding a public bus following the clashes, telling the people surrounding the bus, "I shot one of them with three bullets" as the crowd cheered and applauded him.
Several eye-witnesses backed the statement and recounted the bloody clashes at the conference.
"Once we entered the street near Ramses Hilton heading towards Maspero, we were faced with bullets, rocks, armored vehicles and tear gas," said Mary Daniel, sister of activist Mina, 25, who died in the clashes.
"The scene was more than horrific," she added.
Lobna Darwish, 25, said the march from Shubra started out with families, including children and grandfathers raising crosses.
When it approached Maspero, Darwish recalled, a row of riot police charged at the protesters and started beating them. First the riot police were firing in the air and then they started firing at the people, she said.
Darwish added that she saw four armored trucks deliberately run over people.
"At first when I saw the first tuck, I thought it was an individual case of a military officer who went crazy," she said. "But there were four armored personel carriers [APCs] running over the people again and again."
In a press conference Wednesday, the ruling military council denied that army forces used live ammunition against the Maspero protesters on Sunday, or that personnel intentionally used armored vehicles to run over civilians.
The council neither confirmed nor denied whether the army vehicles that crushed protesters were in fact driven by army personnel or civilians who got hold of the APCs.
Khaled Aly, member of the Egyptian Center for Social and Economic Rights, slammed the army's statements.
"The army never protected our revolution," Aly said. "Who attacked the revolutionaries on March 9 and April 9 in Tahrir Square? Who killed Mina Daniel?"
The military police cracked down on protesters in Tahrir Square on March 9 and April 9, and were accused of torturing those detained in the Egyptian museum and forcing female protesters to undergo virginity tests when they were temporariy held in military prison.
Aly said that fire trucks washed the streets in front of Maspero of all the evidence at 4 am Monday only hours after the deadly violence.
Aly questioned the role of the Prosecutor General and demanded that the case not be investigated by the military prosecution.
Magda Adly, a doctor at Nadim Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence, echoed Aly’s sentiment, saying a “neutral committee needs to investigate the incident, not the military council because the council is involved in the clashes."
Adly, who witnessed the autopsies of some of the victims, said that at least seven died of gunshot wounds while 10 were run over by very heavy objects.
"We couldn't find the bullets inside the [victims’] bodies," Adly said.
Three of the bodies Adly saw suffered fractured ribs.
Adly added that there were reports that some of the bodies were thrown in the Nile by riot police and military forces. A complaint was filed to the Prosecutor General to search for these bodies.
Manal Khaled, an employee at the state TV building said that military police informed the employees to leave the building by 2 pm, because the building would be closed as a precaution against mass protests expected to be held by armed Copts later in the day.
"They told us that armed Copts would come to the TV building and [violent clashes] would erupt," she said.
Khaled left the building at 4 pm and said she saw a small group of "peaceful, unarmed," Coptic protesters, calling for the rights to build churches.
Later in the evening, Khaled headed towards Maspero again after hearing about the clashes.
She saw injured military officers entering Maspero for first aid, but added that the medical department at Maspero wasn’t equipped to deal with any serious injuries.
"I can only assume that the military officers had mild injuries, otherwise they would've been referred to an equipped hospital or they were just putting on a show," she said.
One of Khaled's colleagues told her that riot police wouldn't let him leave the building at 6 pm, saying that they had orders to fire on protesters.
Khaled also saw a group of ultra conservative Muslims, shouting "Islamic, Islamic" and holding clubs on Galaa Street near Maspero.
"One of them stopped me and asked whether I was a Muslim or a Christian," she said.
Amr Ghoneim, a Muslim who participated in the march, also said that a group of conservative Muslims appeared near Maspero saying that they were informed by interior ministry officers that Copts were burning copies of the Quran in front of Maspero.
"We had to convince them that we were Muslims and get them to listen to us," he said.
The witnesses said that they were attacked with rocks under Shoubra bridge, but weren't sure where the attacks came from.
"Until when will Egypt continue to suck the blood of its [own] children?" Daniel asked. “Mina dreamed of the day where he would see Egypt beautiful and free.”



Source:http://www.thedailynewsegypt.com/egypt/maspero-clashes-a-conspiracy-by-scaf-say-political-powers-witnesses.html