About The
Syriac Orthodox Archdiocese
Brief
Christianity entered Homs since the first century, and Melia or Elijah is considered one of the seventy missionaries who preached the Gospel in Homs, Rastan, and Hama.
In the year 59 AD, the Homs Syriacs built a church that was later called "Al-Saidah" Church, and after a while the belt of the Mother of God was transferred to it from Edessa.
In the year 1852 AD, while restoration and construction work was underway on this church, the Virgin Mary’s belt appeared in it placed on the sanctification table.
They did not open the bowl that contained the belt, but rather placed it within the sanctification table in her new altar in the condition in which they found it.
The Holy Belt
In 1953 AD, The Holy Belt was discovered by Patriarch Mar Ignatius Aphrem I Barsoum, and the believers were blessed by it.
Many delegations still flock to Homs every day to receive blessings from the Church of Our Lady Umm al-Zinar.
Therefore, the origin of the bishopric in Homs was in the first Christian centuries, the Archdiocese of Homs is one of the seven excellent archbishoprics.
Our Spiritual Leaders
His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II
His Eminence Archbishop Timotheues Matta Alkhouri
Clergy
Father Abdullah Al-Sattah
Priest of Mor Elian Church in AL-Faheila
Father Lukas Awad
Priest of the Church of Virgin Mary in Maskanah, and General Manager of Um Al-Zenar Center for Relief and Development
Father Barsoum Kassab
Priest of Mor Elian Church in Al-Qaryatayn
Father Youhanna Al-Zukaimi
Priest of St. Ephrem Church in Bab Al-Sebaa neighborhood, and the parishes of Mashta Al-Helu, Al-Wadi, and Tartous
Father Paulus Melki
Priest of the Cathedral of Virgin Mary Um Al-Zenar, and the Church of St. George in Al-Arman neighborhood
Father Touma Kassouha
Priest of Mar Elian Church in Fairouzah, Director of the Patriarch Abdullah Sattouf Center for Theological Education
Father Michael Al-Khalil
Priest of the Cathedral of Virgin Mary Um Al-Zenar
Father George Al-Awail
Priest of parish of Hama
Father Mtanes Sattouf
Priest of Mor Theodore Church in Sadad
Father Gabriel Hazim
Priest of Saint George Church in Zeidel
Father Ibrahim Farah
Priest of the Church of Saint Sarkis and Saint Bacchus in Sadad
Father Benjamin Abboud
Director of the Monastery of Saint Anthony the Great in Sadad suburbs
Parishioners
Cathedral of the Virgin Mary Um Al-Zenar
Homs, Bustan Al-Diwan
Church of St. Ephraim the Syriac
Homs, Bab Al-Sebaa
Churches of Saddad (Mother of Syriacs)
Parish of St. Sarkis | Parish of St. Tewadaros
Church of St. George
Homs, Al-Arman
Church of St. Barsoum
Homs, Hafar
Churches of Fayrouzh
Homs, Fayrouzh
Monastery of St. George
Homs, Zaidal
Church of St. Elian the Hermit
Homs, Al-Qaryatayn
Church of the Virgin Mary
Homs, Maskanah
Churches of Faheila
Homs, Faheila
Churches of Hama
Hama
Parish of Tartus
Tartus
Institutions affiliated with the Archdiocese
Um Al-Zenar Relief & Development Center URDC
Established in 2012 by the late Bishop Mor Silvanus Boutros Al-Nehme.
With the same determination, His Eminence Archbishop Mar Timotheus Matta Al-Khoury, Archbishop of the Syriac Orthodox Archdiocese of Homs, Hama, Tartous and Environs, carried the message. It is currently managed by Father Luke Awad in his capacity as director of the center.
It is a non-governmental relief center based in the city of Homs – Al-Hamidiya Street – the building of the Syriac Orthodox Club.
It aims to improve the social and economic life of displaced and affected families by improving the new reality they live in their new communities, enabling these families to live in dignity, ensuring social justice for them, and linking them to the universal Church of believers.
Monastery of St. Anthony the Great
The foundation stone was laid on July 21, 2003 by His Beatitude Patriarch Mar Ignatius Zakka Iwas, in a large spiritual celebration.
On 27, 2023, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II sanctified the monastery church, with the participation of the parish shepherd, His Eminence Bishop Mor Timothy Matta Al-Khoury, and a number of bishops, and in the presence of a large number of father priests and a crowd of believers, after which the monastery began to receive arriving visitors.
Harmony Culture Forum
Founded in 2019 by a group of young Syrians, and under the generous sponsorship of the Syriac Orthodox Archdiocese.
Harmony is a haven and refuge for many young people and different groups of society, a safe space to express thoughts and feelings, and to get rid of the psychological and social effects of the war in Syria.
They chose art as a universal language to implement their vision and spread their ideas. Their ongoing journey has led to art exhibitions and significant social projects across multiple fields.
Patriarch Abdullah Sattouf Center for Theological Nurture
The center is headed and directly supervised by His Eminence Mar Timothy Matta Al-Khoury, the Archbishop and shepherd of the Archdiocese.
The goal of the center is personal and general spiritual maturity, which leads to the nurture of the personal relationship with the Lord, the Savior to whom be glory, based on correct faith and knowledge of what we believe, lest we be led by diverse and strange teachings (Hebrews 13:9).
Salt of Earth Center
The Salt of the Earth Center works to build a conscious, religiously educated, and spiritually rich Christian generation.
Vision: A generation of religiously and spiritually educated Christian youth rooted in their land and actively present in their church and society, in order to preserve our Christian identity in society.
Mission: Providing a “Christian” cultural, humanitarian, and social space by providing all the necessary cultural resources, training, and activities, and working to support and develop the youth.
Dream "Hulm" Specialized Center for Rehabilitation of People with Disabilities
Target group: All persons with disabilities from the age of two to 13 years, including: cases of autism spectrum disorder – Down syndrome – mental retardation – cerebral palsy – hearing impairment.
The center provides an integrated therapeutic rehabilitation program for children with disabilities by providing the following services:
1- Educational classes (self-care and independence – pedagogical and educational goals – interactive games – group experience).
2- Individual treatment sessions (psychomotor therapy – speech and language assessment – behavior modification – physical therapy).
3- Individual educational sessions (intellectual development).
4- Group and individual family counseling.
5- Awareness sessions about people with disabilities for the local community.
6- Integration activities – recreational activities – training courses.
Association for Aid to the Poor (supervising the Syriac Orthodox Orphanage)
The Syriac Orthodox Orphanage in Homs was established with the efforts of the Society for Relief for the Poor and with the blessing and support of Bishop Mar Malatius Barnabas in 1963. The orphanage was established within the campus of the Cathedral of the Virgin Mary Umm al-Zanar.
The association stopped receiving orphans at the beginning of 2012, as the security situation intensified in the country at that time, and as a result of the bloody events, the orphanage building was severely damaged, in addition to most of its contents burning.
When life returned to the city of Homs, His Eminence Bishop Mar Silwan Boutros restored the orphanage building and made it a temporary headquarters for the archbishopric in view of the great damage that occurred to the archbishopric building.
Other Affiliated Institutions
– Syriac Orthodox Club
– St. Michael’s Service Committee
– Dar Al-Sayeda for hosting female university students
– Al-Nama Center for Prosthetic Limbs