Consecration of Two Bishops

On June 9, 2023, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II celebrated the Holy Qurobo at the altar of the Virgin Mary Church in the Patriarchal Residence in Atchaneh, Lebanon, for the occasion of the Friday of Gold.

During the Qurobo, His Holiness consecrated Very Rev. Raban Andrawos Bahhi as Archbishop, Patriarchal Vicar for the Youth and Christian Education, Very Rev. Raban Augeen Alkass as Archbishop Patriarchal Secretary.

His Holiness was assisted in the Qurobo by their Eminences: Mor Timotheos Moussa Al-Shamani, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Mor Mattai Monastery, Mor Dionysius Jean Kawak, Patriarchal Vicar for the Archdiocese of the Eastern United States of America, Mor Timotheos Matta Al-Khoury, Archbishop of Homs, Hama, Tartous and Environs, and Mor Anthimos Jack Yakoub, Patriarchal Vicar for Jerusalem, Jordan and the Holy Land.

Their Eminences Archbishops members of the Holy Synod of our Syriac Orthodox Church, and the clergy and crowds of faithful were also present in the consecration.

During the Qurobo, according to the rite of the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch, the new archbishops declared their Orthodox Faith and signed it before His Holiness the Patriarch. His Holiness prayed the prayer of the invocation of the Holy Spirit and the laying on of the hand. He laid on his right hand on the head of Raban Andrawos, and Raban Augeen and ordained them as archbishops. Then, His Holiness gave the new archbishops the fatherly names (Mor Andrawos and Mor Augeen), and started to put on them the bishopric vestments. The new Archbishops sat on the bishopric chair; His Holiness placed his right hand over their shoulders and declared thrice: “Axios (worthy)”, while the crowd of faithful repeated the same each time. The new Archbishops were then carried on the chair to read the special reading from the Holy Bible. At the end, His Holiness gave them the crosier (pastoral staff).

The new Archbishops gave sermons in which they thanked the Lord for the grace of their consecration. They spoke about their vocation and vision for their new ministry.

After the Qurobo, His Holiness put on the new archbishops the turban and the black robe with red hems and gave them the small staff. Congratulations were then offered to the new archbishops.