Holy Synod Meeting in Damascus with President Dr. Bachar Assad of Syria
JUNE 11-14, 2002
Holy
Synod
Meeting
in
Damascus
with President
Dr.
Bachar
Assad
of
Syria
An Unofficial Summary of the Holy Synod Declaration
Presided
by
His
Beatitude,
Patriarch
Ignatius
IV,
the
Holy
Synod
of
Antioch,
held
its
regular
meeting
at
the
Patriarchate
in
Damascus,
Syria,
from
June
11
–
June
14,
2002.
Having
reviewed
the
plea
of
the
General
Assembly
of
the
Antiochian
Archdiocese
of
North
America,
which
was
adopted
in
Los
Angeles,
CA,
July
26,
2002,
and
has
been
submitted
to
His
Beatitude
and
the
Holy
Synod
blessed
the
wish
of
its
children
in
the
Antiochian
Archdiocese
of
North
America,
and
recognized
their
Archdiocese
as
autonomous.
This
will
render
their
witness
more
powerful
and
more
effective,
as
they
identify
with
the
civilization
of
North
America;
and
in
order
to
express
the
canonical
and
pastoral
factors
of
this
renewed
Archdiocese,
which
will
affect
the
basic
law
of
the
Patriarchate,
on
the
one
hand,
and
the
constitution
of
the
Archdiocese
on
the
other
hand.
Therefore,
the
Holy
Synod
decided
to
establish
a
committee,
composed
from
six
to
eight
persons,
appointed
equally
by
His
Beatitude
and
His
Eminence,
Metropolitan
Philip,
to
propose
a
constitution
for
this
autonomous
Archdiocese,
to
be
presented
to
the
Holy
Synod
of
Antioch,
in
order
to
acquire
its
final
canonical
status.
The
first
meeting
of
this
committee
will
be
held
in
the
coming
fall.
The Holy Synod also discussed various issues relating to the church such as relations with other churches and an update on the progress of St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology at Balamand.
The Holy Synod discussed the dangerous situation in Palestine and the injustice caused to the Palestinians.
They were saddened by the fall of the dam of Zeinoun Syria, and expressed their feelings to the President of Syria. They also discussed the economic problems facing many Lebanese families and the constant immigration of young men and women from Lebanon. They insisted on the continuous Christian-Muslim dialogue.
His Beatitude thanked all the holy fathers for their conciliar spirit. The Holy Spirit is indeed moving in the Church of Antioch.