Common concern of the Patriarchs in Syria for the presence and future of Christianstranslated

The challenges facing the Christians of the Middle East was at the center of the meeting of the Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, Mr. John I with the Melchite Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, Mr. Joseph I and the Syro-Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, Mr. Ignatius-Ephraim II, which took place in Damascus on Thursday, November 5, 2026. His Beatitude Patriarch Mr. John I welcomed the Patriarchs Mr. Joseph I and Mr. Ignatius-Ephraim II to the Patriarchal Residence and then the situation of Christians in the Middle East in general and in Syria in particular was discussed. At the same time, they reiterated their condemnation of the recent heinous terrorist attack on the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George in Hmoud, Karak province in Jordan.

Particular reference was made to the more general developments in Syria, in light of repeated attacks, arbitrary dismissals, asset freezes against some citizens, as well as delays in the adjudication of prisoner cases.

The Patriarchs also discussed the difficult living conditions and the accuracy that affect the whole...