With the Blessings of His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II
Under the Auspices and Presence of His Eminence Archbishop Mor Krysostomos Mikhael Chamoun
On the occasion of the Commemoration of the Sayfo Genocide
And as part of the Activities of the Fiftieth Year of Its Founding
MECC Organizes a Conference
“Keeping Memory Alive 2 - The Syriac Genocide Attempt,” Delivered by the Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs
On the occasion of the yearly commemoration of the Sayfo genocide, and as part of the activities of the Fiftieth Year of the Founding of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), with the blessings of His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches, and under the auspices and presence of His Eminence Archbishop Mor Krysostomos Mikhael Chamoun, Archbishop of Mount Lebanon and Tripoli for the Syrian Orthodox Church, MECC organized a conference entitled “Keeping Memory Alive 2 - The Syriac Genocide Attempt,” delivered by the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs. It took place on Wednesday 12 June 2024, in the Saint Jacob of Serug Church at the Syriac Orthodox Archdiocese, Sabtiyeh – Lebanon.
Attendees in this conference which you can watch by clicking here, were His Eminence Archbishop Mor Theophilus George Saliba, Former Syriac Orthodox Archbishop of Mount Lebanon and Tripoli, and the Patriarchal Advisor, Father Paren Vartanian, representing the Catholicosate of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Holy See of Cilicia, Priests of the Archdiocese, social figures, guests, and participants from the region.
In his lecture, the Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, presented a historical overview about the massacres at the beginning of the twentieth century in Anatolia and the Antiochian Levant, shedding light on the political background of the Sayfo crime, as he explained the general political and cultural framework of the massacres’ era and the most prominent historical phases that it passed through, in addition to the characteristics of the crime’s period 1878-1923.
Dr. Abs also mentioned addressed the topic of the perpetrators of the massacre, as well as the geographical scope and general framework of the crime, recalling the victims and groups that were subjected to massacres. As well as, he explained the name of Sayfo, the path of massacres throughout history, and the work to keep memory alive and obtain rights. In this context, Dr. Abs condemned the process of destroying humans and stones, and said, “We are the children of the Resurrection who turned the instrument of killing into a symbol of love. But we do not forget, do not forget! Let us not forget!”
Afterwards, His Eminence Archbishop Mor Theophilus George Saliba addressed a word in which he recalled the historical era of the Sayfo massacre, denouncing this crime and pointing out, “We are not surprised that the Ottomans killed us, but rather we are surprised at how the West stood against the Christians. The Sykes-Picot Treaty oppressed the Eastern Christians... The European people betrayed religion, humanity, the Armenians, the Syriacs, and Christians in general...”
For his part, His Eminence Archbishop Mor Krysostomos Mikhael Chamoun said in his word that “the Church is always a witness and a martyr, a witness to truth, life and its faith. In order to fulfill its role as a witness to its faith, it must be a martyr. All those who want to live piously in Christ Jesus are persecuted... Our Lord taught us to be innocent as doves but also cunning as serpents...”
In addition, the meeting included interventions by attendees in which they expressed their experiences, expertise and testimonies.
