Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aprem II
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Damascus
- Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aprem II, Primate of the Syriac Orthodox Church, has
forgiven four of the six Metropolitan Bishops of his Church who in February had
accused him of "betrayal of faith". The patriarchal act, in a
statement issued on April 29 by the Syriac-Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch,
formally marks the end of the public inter-ecclesial contrasts that in the last
months had troubled the life of the Syriac Orthodox Church. In the patriarchal
text, sent to Agenzia Fides, the Patriarch reaffirms his role as
"Successor of Peter" and guardian of the unity of the Syriac Orthodox
Church, reporting that he received the letter in recent days in which the four
forgiven Metropolitans apologised to the Patriarch for their offensive
statements.
The six Metropolitans who came into conflict with the Patriarch had issued a
statement on February 8, claiming that the Primate of the Syriac Orthodox
Church no longer deserved the title of 'defensor fidei', since according to
them had sown doubts and suspicions in the heart of believers, with statements
and gestures "contrary to the teachings of Jesus Christ, according to his
Holy Gospel". The Patriarch was also accused of raising the Koran, in sign
of respect, on the occasion of inter-religious meetings.
In mid-March the Syriac Orthodox Bishops' Synod had instead decided for the
suspension ad divinis of the other two metropolitan Bishops who had signed the
declaration against the Patriarch, while the other four who were then forgiven
were urged to write by the thirtieth of April a letter of apology and
repentance for the choices made in the past, considered to be lacerating for
the ecclesial communion.The two metropolitans suspended ad divinis in mid-March
are Severius Hazail Soumi, Patriarchal Vicar in Belgium and France, and
Eustatius Matta Roham. The latter had been expatriated in Europe at the end of
2012, and had never returned to his war-torn country.
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