In Antioch: A present that mirrors memory and future

In our Eastern churches of the Levant, memory plays a fundamental role in maintaining the cohesion of the faithful community and preserving its beliefs, rituals, and traditions.

 

In the Antiochian Levant, as in Anatolia, attempts were historically made to uproot this presence, from Armenian massacres to massacres of the Syrians, Assyrians, and Anatolian Greeks, which claimed millions of victims and displaced people, destroyed large portions of these peoples’ civilizations, and emptied vast areas of their historical homelands, where roots run deep from prehistoric times.

 

His Beatitude Patriarch John X, the Most Blessed, the Thirteenth of the Righteous Apostles, fully understands this reality, experiencing it in both past and present, and approaches it with the intent not only to keep memory alive but to link it to contemporary reality, making it a support for a future that is resilient and enduring until the end of time.

 

In everything He does and says, He ensures that the faithful are fully aware of their memory, reinforces their present with the confidence required to persevere, and opens horizons to a future he envisions as promising in presence and role.

 

In Damascus, at the Mariamite Patriarchate; in Tel Kawkab, where the Incarnate Lord appeared to Saul; in various regions of Lebanon; and today in the northern Antiochian Levant, through his blessed pastoral visits to Mersin, Antioch, and Alexandretta, His presence continually ties past, present, and future.

 

In Mersin, surrounded by the Bishops of the Holy Synod, His Beatitude recalled history and consecrated Bishop Paul of Tarsus, honoring the Apostle to the Nations, Paul, who played the greatest role in spreading the salvific doctrine worldwide.

 

His Beatitude considers that Antioch has "spoken its word: the land of saints, the cradle of culture, faith, and witness," and that it has "renewed its covenant with Paul the Antiochian Apostle of Tarsus" through the "ordination of Archimandrite Paul Ordoluglu as Bishop of Tarsus." He clarifies that he granted him the "title of Bishop of Tarsus, since Tarsus is the city where the Apostle Paul was born," highlighting its significance as Paul of Tarsus spread the Good News of Jesus Christ across the world. His Beatitude also entrusted him with historical responsibility, saying: "We pray that the new bishop continues his mission with all the resources he has been given, as he is a model of faith and generosity."

 

In his customary simple yet profound style, His Beatitude connected a deep and glorious past with a resilient present and a promising future, words echoed by the congregation’s voices: Axios! Deserving!

 

The faithful lined up behind the great shepherd in charging the newly elected Bishop Paul of Tarsus with the responsibilities he has been entrusted with as a model of faith and giving. When handing him the pastoral crosier, he said:
"Take this crosier and be strong. It is a crosier of gentleness and love; it is a people who rely on it and grow stronger by it as you are strengthened by them. It is a crosier of wisdom and discernment drawn from the Gospel, a crosier of service and responsibility."

 

Emphasizing the deep roots of salvific faith and its resilience in the face of historical storms, His Beatitude reminded the faithful:

"We are the children of the Church of Antioch. We are the children of this land that endured the trials of history and entrusted us with the faith of our ancestors, inscribed in stone as well as in people. We are the children of this land that the feet of the Apostles and saints have graced. We are the children of Greater Antioch, which wove the word 'Christian' into the world and sang it as a melody upon the lips of generations."

 

With these historic words, Patriarch John X addressed the faithful of this beloved region, cherished in the hearts of all Christians worldwide, reminding them first of their Christian identity, recalling the trials of history and the faith inscribed in stone and people across generations: "The air we breathe and the heart within us is filled with Antioch."

 

As in all his pastoral visits, believers traveled from every corner of the globe to meet the Church’s shepherd, receive His blessing, and experience His presence. The popular turnout was significant, prayers were fervent, and each visit by His Beatitude carried high symbolic and practical significance. It is a landmark in the history of the Patriarch of Antioch’s journeys.

 

As customary, official accompaniment and presence reflect the reverence that formal authorities hold for a church leader who knows how to navigate regional challenges under the harshest conditions without compromising the dignity of the See of Antioch and its Patriarch.

 

Finally, it must be noted that vision and strategic wisdom are fundamental components of Patriarch John X’s governance, repeatedly demonstrated in managing the various internal and external affairs of the Church of Antioch.

 

In this pivotal era, in a region swept by winds of change and waves of violence, the Church must remain aware of the fluctuations in its surroundings and interpret them wisely, preserving the salt of the earth in the region where it was raised. Christians have a vital role in its stability and renewal.

 

Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father, which safeguards humankind and grants a better life, and blessed are the shepherds who preserve and protect this kingdom.