Syria.
Syria is the historic homeland of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch, one of the ancient apostolic sees, with its see at the Mariamite Cathedral in Damascus and a faithful community shaped by nearly two thousand years of Christian history.
Orthodoxy in
Syria.
A living tradition — its history, its faithful, its sacred places.
Eastern Orthodox Christianity in Syria
Syria holds a place of singular importance in the history of Eastern Orthodoxy. The ancient city of Antioch, whose patriarchate today resides in Damascus, is where "the disciples were first called Christians" (Acts 11:26), and the Syrian lands formed one of the earliest cradles of the apostolic Church. The canonical Eastern Orthodox jurisdiction in Syria is the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East, an autocephalous Church in communion with Constantinople and the other Orthodox patriarchates.
Ancient roots and the See of Antioch
The Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch traces its succession from the apostolic community of Antioch, which the First Council of Nicaea (325) recognized as one of the original great sees of Christendom, alongside Rome and Alexandria. After the Council of Chalcedon (451), the Chalcedonian Christians who remained in communion with Constantinople became the forebears of today's Greek Orthodox of Antioch, distinct from the non-Chalcedonian Syriac Orthodox Church (Oriental Orthodox), which is a separate communion.
From Antioch to Damascus
The patriarchal seat was moved from Antioch to Damascus in the 14th century, and since 1342 the Mariamite Cathedral (al-Kanīsah al-Maryamīyah) on Straight Street has served as the cathedral of the Patriarchate. The present patriarch is John X (Yazigi), elected in December 2012, a native of Latakia.
Arabization and liturgical life
Although the literary language of the Patriarchate was historically Greek, from the 9th century onward Arabic steadily became the language of worship in most Syrian parishes, a process that intensified in the 19th and 20th centuries. Today the Divine Liturgy in Syria is celebrated primarily in Arabic, with Greek retained for certain hymns and feast-day usage, and Aramaic still heard in a handful of mountain villages such as Maaloula.
The modern community
The Patriarchate is organized into archdioceses covering Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, the Arab Gulf and a global diaspora, including the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America.
It is a founding member of the Middle East Council of Churches.
Prior to the civil war that began in 2011, Syria was home to roughly 2.5 million Christians, of whom close to one million were Greek Orthodox; widespread displacement and emigration have since reduced the Christian population dramatically.
In April 2013, Metropolitan Paul (Yazigi) of Aleppo — brother of Patriarch John X — was abducted together with the Syriac Orthodox Metropolitan Mar Gregorios Yohanna Ibrahim; their fate remains unknown, and they are remembered in the intercessions of the Antiochian Church.
Despite the suffering of recent decades, the Orthodox faithful of Syria continue to celebrate the liturgy in the very lands sanctified by the apostles, preserving a living witness to the faith of Antioch.
Saints of
Syria.
5 venerated souls with ties to this land — fathers and mothers of the faith who are remembered here still.
Famous Orthodox churches and monasteries in Syria
The sacred architecture of Orthodox Syria — cathedrals, parishes, and the mountain monasteries that keep the lamps burning.
- Mariamite Cathedral of Damascus (al-Kanīsah al-Maryamīyah) — Damascus. One of the oldest Greek Orthodox churches in the city, dedicated to the Theotokos (Saint Mary); it has served as the seat of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch since 1342.
- Our Lady of Saidnaya Patriarchal Monastery — Saidnaya, about 25 km north of Damascus. Traditionally founded by the Byzantine emperor Saint Justinian the Great in 547, it is one of the most ancient monasteries in the Middle East and houses a renowned wonder-working icon of the Theotokos attributed by tradition to the Evangelist Luke.
- Monastery of Saint Sergius (Mar Sarkis) — Maaloula. Built on the site of an earlier pagan temple with elements dating to the 5th–6th century, this Aramaic-speaking village monastery is dedicated to the martyr Saint Sergius and preserves one of the oldest surviving Christian altars.
- Monastery of Saint Thekla (Mar Taqla) — Maaloula. A celebrated shrine of the Proto-martyr and Equal-to-the-Apostles Saint Thekla, tucked into the cliffs of the Qalamoun Mountains and a centuries-old pilgrimage site.
- Cathedral of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste — Homs. The historic Greek Orthodox cathedral of Homs, dedicated to the Holy Forty Martyrs of Sebaste, a focal point of Orthodox life in central Syria.
- Cathedral of the Dormition of the Theotokos — Aleppo. The principal Greek Orthodox church of Aleppo and the seat of the Metropolitan of Aleppo, seriously damaged during the recent war and associated with the still-unresolved 2013 abduction of Metropolitan Paul (Yazigi).
Orthodoxy
kept here.
The shape of the faith as it is lived and prayed across Syria today.
Orthodoxy in Syria is embodied in the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East, an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Church whose historic territory covers Syria, Lebanon, and much of the Arab world. Its faithful are Arabic-speaking Christians who call themselves Rūm Orthodox ("Roman" Orthodox, i.e. Eastern Roman/Byzantine), distinguishing them sharply from the Oriental Orthodox Syriac Church, the Eastern Catholic Melkites, and other Syrian Christian communities.
The principal language of worship is Arabic, though Greek is retained for certain hymns and feast-day portions of the services. The Typikon, liturgical music (largely Byzantine chant in Arabic adaptation), and sacramental life follow the common Eastern Orthodox tradition shared with the Churches of Constantinople, Jerusalem, Alexandria, Moscow, Greece, and the others.
Patriarch John X resides at the Mariamite Cathedral in Damascus, which has served as the patriarchal seat since 1342. The Church maintains historic monasteries, most famously Our Lady of Saidnaya and the ancient houses of Maaloula, as well as active parishes in Damascus, Aleppo, Homs, Hama, Latakia, Tartus and the Hauran. A substantial Antiochian Orthodox diaspora in North America, Europe, Australia and Latin America remains canonically attached to the See of Damascus through the autonomous Antiochian archdioceses abroad.
Since the Syrian war beginning in 2011, the community has experienced grave suffering: displacement, emigration, and the 2013 abduction of Metropolitan Paul (Yazigi) of Aleppo. Nevertheless, the Patriarchate continues to minister actively in its ancestral homeland, working with the Syrian state and with international Orthodox Churches to sustain the parishes, schools, and charitable institutions of the Church of Antioch.
Asked
of this land.
Frequently asked questions about Orthodoxy in Syria
Which Orthodox Church is canonical in Syria?
The canonical Eastern Orthodox body in Syria is the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East, an autocephalous Church in communion with the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and the other Orthodox patriarchates.
Is the Syriac Orthodox Church the same as the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch?
No. The Syriac Orthodox Church is an Oriental Orthodox (non-Chalcedonian) Church and is not in communion with the Eastern Orthodox communion. The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch, by contrast, accepted the Council of Chalcedon (451) and remains in the Eastern Orthodox communion.
Where is the patriarchal see located?
Since 1342 the patriarchal see has been at the Mariamite Cathedral of Damascus (al-Kanīsah al-Maryamīyah), on Straight Street in the old city. The patriarch bears the title "Patriarch of Antioch and All the East" even though the see now resides in Damascus.
Who is the current Patriarch of Antioch?
His Beatitude John X (Yazigi), born in Latakia in 1955, has been Patriarch of Antioch and All the East since his election on 17 December 2012.
What language is used in the Divine Liturgy?
The Divine Liturgy in Syria is celebrated primarily in Arabic, the everyday language of the faithful. Greek is retained for certain hymns, and Aramaic (the language of Christ) survives liturgically in a few villages such as Maaloula.
How has the Syrian war affected the Orthodox community?
The conflict that began in 2011 has caused severe displacement and emigration. Pre-war estimates placed the Christian population of Syria at roughly 2.5 million, including close to one million Greek Orthodox; those numbers have since fallen sharply, though the Patriarchate continues to minister throughout the country.