Condolence Message from HH the Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka I Iwas to Ethiopian Orthodox Church

We publish the following message of condolences sent by His Holiness our Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka 1, Iwas, comforting the Ethiopian Orthodox Church on the occasion of the departure of His Holiness Patriarch Paulos to the heavenly abodes.

Their Eminences, esteemed Metropolitans, members of the Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

Greetings in the name of the Lord.

We received the news of the departure of His Holiness our brother Patriarch Abouna Paulos Patriarch of Ethiopia and head of Axium Metropolitans, with great grief and sorrow. The Lord took him to His side without any advance notice. We felt very sad and sorry for his departure. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church in particular and the Christians in general lost one of their most illustrious pastoral and ecumenical personalities. Since day one of becoming the Fifth patriarch of the See of Ethiopian Orthodox Church in 1992, he started his mission of serious and fruitful work. With God's help he achieved many accomplishments on all fronts, especially when he stretched his hand to us as heads of the Eastern Orthodox Churches. He was an example of unity, cooperation, humility, and self-denial. God's providence willed to have His Holiness as one of the heads of the Universal Council of Churches for the current session on behalf of the Eastern Orthodox Churches, in addition to his support for the national unity among the citizens of the same country.

We still proudly remember his historical visit to our Syriac Orthodox Church in Damascus-Syria in November of 2008, and the decent words by which he expressed the deep relations and historical ties between our two sister churches starting with St. Farmintius the Syriac minister, up till today.

Our comfort is that he slept in a virtuous old age and he left the struggling church on earth and joined the members of the victorious church in heaven, a reward for his great service for the talents which he carried since he started his priestly life until the last day of his life.

On behalf of myself and the esteemed Metropolitans, members of the Holy Synod of my Syriac Orthodox Church, I convey to you all and to the faithful of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church my deepest condolences, asking the Lord Who took him to the eternal abodes to add his untainted soul to the ranks of the just and righteous, and to let him hear His voice, saying: "You were faithful in the very little, I give you authority over much. Enter into the banquet of your master."

I wanted so much to share with you the final view on his wholesome body, but due to our health issues we delegated His Eminence, our brother Metropolitan Mor Phyloxinos Mattias Nayis, the patriarchal assistant and head of St. Ephraim Theological School to represent us and our Syriac Orthodox Church, in offering our condolences to you and to the beloved faithful of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

May God have mercy of his soul and may his memorial live forever.

Ignatius Zakka I Iwas
Patriarch of Antioch and all the East
The supreme head of the universal Syriac Orthodox Church

Translated and Provided by:

HE Clemis Eugene Kaplan
Archbishop and Patriarchal Vicar, Syrian Orthodox Diocese of USA - West

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