Provinces-Sana
The Christian communities in Syria celebrated this evening the glorious Christmas “the birthday of Jesus, the messenger of love and peace,” by holding masses and prayers in churches and places of worship in a number of governorates.
In the Cathedral of Our Lady of Nayah of the Melkite Greek Catholics in Al-Zaytoun Quarter in Damascus, a mass was held, presided over by His Beatitude the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East of the Melkite Greek Catholics, Youssef Al-Absi, and assisted by a group of venerable priests, and the service of the mass was performed by the cathedral choir.
Al-Absi referred to the lofty meanings of the glorious feast, and the importance of feeling the pain and sorrow of some people, and working to console and help them. Patriarch Al-Absi called for lifting the sanctions and the unjust siege on Syria.
At the end of his speech, Al-Absi called on God Almighty to restore safety and stability to Syria, to preserve its people, its heroic army and its leader, and to have mercy on the martyrs and heal the wounded.
In Qamishli, the Syriac-Orthodox Church of St. Jacob held this evening a religious liturgy and a Christmas recital entitled “The Christmas Star” under the auspices of His Eminence Bishop Mamores Amsih and the musician Johnny.
The recital included a variety of Christmas hymns, in addition to a group of songs presented by the Al-Raha Artistic Band in Qamishli, which called for love, peace and stability in the world. The technical and administrative official of the band told SANA reporter that the band presented during the concert a set of Christmas tunes and musical rhythms, in addition to the song “The Christmas Star”.
The celebration was followed by a tour of the scout regiment in front of the church, during which the members of the scouts played a group of musical pieces on the occasion of Christmas.
In Daraa, prayers, masses and supplications were held to celebrate the birth of Christ, peace be upon him. Hymns and supplications were recited for the good intention of Syria in the Greek Orthodox Church of Our Lady of the Annunciation in the city of Daraa.
In turn, the Mayor of Tibneh, Maher Al-Masra, pointed out that the participation of all the town's children and their families is a message of love and unity, indicating that he participated in lighting the tree for all civil activities in the town.
In the same context, the town of Al-Muzaina in the Wadi Al-Nadara region in the countryside of Homs organized this evening a carnival, for the seventh year in a row. To return to the Church of Our Lady of the Annunciation Al-Shahara, accompanied by a musical performance by the church scouts, and it included various artistic paintings and figures inspired by Christmas, a train of gifts decorated with holiday shapes and colors, a snowman, a Christmas tree, and Santa Claus’s cart laden with gifts pulled by deer, in addition to fancy-dress paintings accompanied by Christmas songs and melodies.
A number of participants in the carnival expressed their happiness with the state of joy experienced by the town during the Christmas period and the insistence of its people, old and young, on the success of the Christmas celebrations, confirming the determination of the Syrian people to renew life and their will to win.
In As-Suwayda, a mass was held in the Church of Saint George, presided over by Archbishop Saba Esber, pastor of the Diocese of Bosra, Hauran and Jabal Al-Arab for the Greek Orthodox. The values and spirituality of the birth of Christ.
The worshipers raised prayers in the hope that the hardships and difficult days for our country and our people will end, and that the Lord will preserve our homeland and spread goodness, peace, security and stability.
In the Monastery and Church of Jesus the King for the Capuchin fathers, a mass and prayer was held on this occasion, during which the head of the monastery, the parish priest, Father Fadi Ziada, indicated that Christmas is the renewal of the covenant of the Lord’s love for people and the closeness to God so that all hearts may dwell and fill them with goodness, peace, love and mercy, pointing out that what our country is going through It requires that every person, whether a citizen or an official, rise to serve our country and people with conscience and responsibility, raising prayers so that God blesses and protects our country, Syria and its people, and has mercy on the martyrs of the homeland and heals the wounded.
After the mass and prayers, the Scout Band performed some Christmas hymns and instrumentals in the church yard.
And in the Church of “Jesus the Good Shepherd” in the city of As-Suwayda, the pastor of the National Evangelical Christian Union Church, Rev. Gabriel Jack Battah, said in the Christmas message: At Christmas, our mouths chant a song of peace that came from heaven to fill our land carrying salvation that heals our souls from the disease of sin, calling on God to preserve Syria and its people.
Also, masses and prayers were held in the churches of a number of villages and towns, in which the fathers and priests talked about the sublime meanings and values embodied in the birthday of Christ, the messenger of love and peace, during which the worshipers prayed that goodness, peace and security prevail in our country and that distress and pain be removed from it.
Follow SANA's news on Telegram https://t.me/SyrianArabNewsAgency
Olive Church in Damascus
The National Evangelical Christian Union Church in Suwayda
St. George's Greek Orthodox Church in Suwayda