The Patriarch of Antioch noted the active participation of the Russian Church in the humanitarian mission in Syria

A solemn ceremony was held in Damascus to mark the fourth anniversary of the establishment of the Center for Prosthetics and Rehabilitation under the representation of the Russian Orthodox Church. The event was attended by Patriarch John X of Antioch and the whole East, who emphasized that the churches of Russia and Antioch help everyone without exception. This is reported by Orthodoxia News Agency.

The event was attended by Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, Deputy Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, who conveyed greetings from Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. He noted the importance of the joint initiative of the Center for Prosthetics and Rehabilitation for modern Syria and for strengthening the fraternal bonds with the Antiochian Orthodox Church. Dr. Hassan Al-Khatib, Deputy Minister of Health of Syria, conveyed greetings from Dr. M. Al-Saraa, Head of the Syrian Presidential Administration, and wished the staff of the Center success in their work. Ambassador of the Russian Federation in Syria E. Kozlov stressed the universal importance of the Center and its role in strengthening ties between Russia and Syria.

In his address Patriarch John X expressed his gratitude to all the participants of the celebration, especially the delegation from Russia. He noted that the Russian and Antiochian Orthodox Churches are actively involved in the life of Syria and cooperate closely with their Muslim brothers for the good of the country. The Patriarch emphasized the evangelical principles of faith, help for all and awareness of brotherhood. He also praised the conditions created by the government for the functioning of the Center and thanked the Center for the hope it has been giving to children for four years.

After the ceremony, members of the Russian Orthodox Church delegation visited the Church of St. Elijah the Prophet in Damascus, where a terrorist attack took place in June 2025, and were briefed on the progress of reconstruction work. On the same day Patriarch John X received the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church in his official residence in Damascus.

We shall remind you that earlier we reported that Patriarch John X of Antioch expressed support for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church during the Christmas liturgy in Damascus.