Patriarch of Russia visits Syria, Lebanon

Last week, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, made an official “peace visit” to the Church of Antioch, namely Syria and Lebanon, in accordance with Orthodox tradition.

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia in the Assumption Cathedral in Damascus.

The Umayyad Mosque, also known as the Great Mosque of Damascus, gives the impression of the ancient world. The Church of Antioch was founded by Apostles Peter and Paul, who are its patron saints, around the year 37. The main Antiochian saints are John Chrysostom, John of Damascus, Ephrem the Syrian, and St. Hilarion as well as other Christians whose spiritual feats have made the Russian land fruitful, Patriarch Kirill said.

The Church of Antioch went through a difficult period from the Middle Ages until the 20th century. In the 14th century, the seat of the patriarchate was moved from Antioch, in what is now Turkey, to Damascus, Syria. Photo: The present-day Assumption Cathedral in Damascus, the main church of the patriarchate of Antioch.

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and Patriarch Ignatius of Antioch and All the East served a liturgy at the Assumption Cathedral in Damascus, a major Christian mass in which they prayed for the welfare of Russia and Syria.

“Although Jesus Christ was born in Palestine, he began his journey from Damascus, with the support of Apostle Paul, whose effort promoted Christianity worldwide, mainly because Damascus gave protection to the saint when pagans tried to attack him,” President Bashar al-Assad said. In his words, even 2,000 years later, Syria continues its religious mission, modeling peaceful coexistence of people of different faiths.

In Lebanon, Patriarch Kirill attended a Mass at the Saint George’s Church in central Beirut, just next door to the Lebanese parliament. Built in the 14th century, the cathedral is an example of Byzantine church architecture.

The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church believes it expedient to develop pilgrimage to the shrines of Lebanon recovered and restored after the war.

Patriarch Ignatius of Antioch thanked Patriarch Kirill and all Russians for supporting Christians living in the Middle East during the difficult time, especially Syrians. “We know that Russia feels for our problems. We are grateful to Russia, to His Holiness the Patriarch and to these wonderful people,” said the Primate of the Church of Antioch.

Patriarch Kirill met with Catholic Patriarchs of the Orient who gathered at the Maronite patriarch's seat at Bkirki (Lebanon).

The last destination of Patriarch Kirill’s Middle East visit was the Balamand Monastery in northern Lebanon, an important Christian spiritual and research center. The patriarch served a mass there and donated $50,000 for the needs of 50 students of the University of Balamand, thus honoring the centuries’ old tradition of Russian-Middle Eastern relations.