site.btaBulgarian Patriarch Sends Letter to Antiochian Patriarch Amidst Situation in Syria and Lebanon

Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil has sent a letter to Patriarch John X of Antioch in response to the ongoing events in Syria and Lebanon, as reported by the Bulgarian Patriarchate's website Thursday. The letter underscores the deep concern and support from the Bulgarian Orthodox Church for the Christian communities facing persecution in the Middle East.

Patriarch Daniil expresses brotherly support for the faithful of the Antiochian Patriarchate. He offered prayers and support not only to Patriarch John X but also to the members of the Holy Synod of Antioch, the clergy, and the Christian communities in Syria and Lebanon.

The Bulgarian Patriarch highlighted the ongoing struggles in the region, where recent events have endangered the lives of thousands of Christians, threatening to displace them from their ancestral homes. He reflected on the long history of Christianity in Syria and Lebanon, places that have been rich in evangelism and the birthplace of many saints of the Orthodox Church.

Centuries have passed since the time of Christ's apostles and their disciples, and today the world witnesses yet another attempt to uproot Christianity and forcibly expel the Christians who remain in these martyrdom lands, Patriarch Daniel noted. "We cannot remain indifferent to the suffering of our brothers and sisters in Christ, who are the heirs and bearers of a two-thousand-year-old church tradition, now threatened with destruction and devastation," the letter goes

The Bulgarian Patriarch concludes with a prayer for peace and protection. "We fervently pray that our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ, through the prayers of His Most Holy Mother and all His saints, may protect, save, comfort, and have mercy on all those suffering and persecuted for His Holy Name. "We believe and hope that God, who cares for each of us, will never abandon the Holy Antiochian Patriarchate."