Syria

Romanian Patriarchate and IOCC expand aid for displaced Syrians and victims of church bombing

Following the decision of the International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) to expand its support for Syrian victims affected by the 2023 earthquake, representatives of the organisation conducted a field visit last week, joined by Patriarchal Counsellor Fr. Ciprian Ioniță, Coordinator of the Social-Philanthropic Department of the Romanian Patriarchate. The IOCC team overseeing local humanitarian activities…

Oct 9, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Patriarchate urges support for Turkey-Syria earthquake victims

The Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church decided to help the Orthodox communities in Syria and Turkey, severely affected by the devastating earthquake that occurred at the beginning of last week. The earthquake affected the communities of the Patriarchate of Antioch in Alexandretta, Mersin and Antakia in Turkey, as well as the communities in…

Feb 14, 2023Aurelian Iftimiu

International Orthodox Christian Charities Launches Campaign for Children’s Programs in Syria

International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) is launching a new fundraising campaign, aiming to raise $250,000 for programming that supports children and families who have survived trauma and tragedy in Syria. Children are among the millions affected by the conflict in Syria, including many displaced in their own country. Whether through exposure to violence or the…

Oct 17, 2019Mihail Mere-Albe

1,200-year-old Bible seized in southeastern Turkey’s Diyarbakır

Security forces on Tuesday seized a Bible said to be 1,200 years old in southeastern Turkey’s Diyarbakır province. According to the Diyarbakır governor’s office, local gendarmerie received intel that someone was looking to sell an ancient Bible manuscript written on leather with gold-encrusted motifs. Suspects were caught red-handed while trying to sell the 34-page manuscript,…

Feb 6, 2019Gheorghe Anghel

World Council of Churches has repeatedly called for the release of the archbishops of Aleppo

Last week the 2,000-day mark since the abduction of two Syrian archbishops was passed. Syriac Orthodox Archbishop Yohanna Ibrahim and Greek Orthodox Archbishop Paul Yazigi haven’t been heard from since gunmen kidnapped them outside Aleppo in April 2013, almost five and a half years ago. The World Council of Churches (WCC) has repeatedly called for…

Oct 23, 2018Florin Nicolaie

St. Thekla Monastery in Maaloula, Syria celebrates first liturgy since city freed from terrorists

A great spiritual event took place recently when the Divine Liturgy was served in the St. Thekla Monastery in Maaloula, Syria on August 12. This was the first Liturgy served there in several years after the city was taken over by terrorists and several of the nuns were kidnapped for several months, reports ekklisiaonline.gr, quoted by…

Aug 21, 2018Sorin Ioniţe

Patriarch John of Antioch: Churches are restored in Syria despite the war

In an interview with Russia’s international news agency RIA, His Beatitude John, Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, speaks about the current situation in Syria and the restoration of the country’s places of worship. He points out that both the terrorist acts and the war in Syria have no ties to “any particular religion or…

Feb 13, 2018Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch John X of Antioch: St Anthimos represents a loving icon, under which gather the faithful of the Churches in Romania, Georgia and Antioch

On the feast of Saint Anthimos the Ivirite (Iberian), 27 September 2016, His Beatitude John X, Patriarch of Antioch, presided over the Divine Liturgy officiated in an outdoor altar, next to the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest. His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, and Metropolitan John of Rustavi, delegate of His Beatitude Ilia II,…

Oct 4, 2016Aurelian Iftimiu