Feast of Mor Matta the Hermit at Mor Matta Monastery

On September 18, 2022, on the occasion of the Feast of Mor Matta the Hermit, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II celebrated the Holy Qurobo at Mor Matta Monastery.

He was assisted by their Eminences Archbishops: Mor Timotheos Moussa Al-Shamani, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Mor Matta Monastery, Mor Justinos Boulos Safar, Patriarchal Vicar in Zahleh and Beqaa, Mor Nicodemus Daoud Sharaf, Archbishop of Mosul, Kirkuk, Kurdistan and Environs, and Mor Joseph Bali, Patriarchal Secretary and Media Office Director, in the presence of His Eminence Mor Gregorius Saliba Chamoun, Patriarchal Advisor, and their Excellencies: Mor Aphrem Youssef Abba, Syriac Catholic Archbishop of Baghdad and Patriarchal Administrator of Mosul, Mor Youhanna Boutros Moushe, Former Syriac Catholic Archbishop of Mosul, and Mor Athanasius Firas Dardar, Syriac Catholic Patriarchal Vicar in Basra and the Arab Gulf, as well as His Excellency Mr. Ahmad Ibrahim Al-Zahiri, General Consul of UAE in Erbil, and Mr. Raad Kajaji, Director of the Christian Waqf in the Ministry of Endowments in Baghdad.

In his sermon, His Holiness spoke about the great saints of our church, who were firmly attached to their faith and fought all heresies and strange teachings. His Holiness then gave an overview of the life of Mor Matta the Hermit whose feast is celebrated today. He pointed out to the most important miracles he performed. He also spoke about how Mor Matta baptized the pagan King Sanharib after healing him from his sickness. His Holiness encouraged the faithful to hold firmly to their faith despite the difficulties and to remain loyal to the church and homeland.

During the Holy Qurobo, His Holiness bestowed the Holy Cross to Very Rev. Boulos Abdelkarim, Priest of Morth Shmouni Church in Bashiqa, for his service to the Holy Church.