Matins and the Divine Liturgy of St. Stephen’s Day was held on Friday morning, December 27, 2019, in the Basilica of the Prophet Elias in Aleppo. The service was presided by His Grace, the Patriarchal Vicar, Bishop Efraim Maalouli, who was assisted by the priests of the Archdiocese. During the Divine Liturgy, the ordination of the deacon, Polycarp, took place as a priest, and at the end of the liturgy, he was endowed with the epigonation to become a father. Brother Sirop Jarayan was ordained a deacon, with Saint Joseph the Betrothed as Patron Saint confessor with the blessing and at the appointment of His Beatitude Patriarch John X, and laying of hands of His Grace Efraim, the Patriarchal Vicar. Religious authorities of the Christian communities in Aleppo attended as well, with a number of priests and a large crowd of the diocese.
At the end of the Liturgy, Archimandrite of Moses, the Vicar of the His Eminence the Metropolitan of Aleppo, addressed a word to the Patriarchal Vicar, thanking him for his distinguished participation in the progress of this Archdiocese through the ordination of two new ministers for this parish. He asked him to convey his deep thanks to His Beatitude, Patriarch John X for his fatherly love and constant care for the Archdiocese as ministers and faithful. He also thanked the Christian authorities and the priests for sharing this great joy, hoping the speedy return of the diocesan Metropolitan Paul, with the certainty that he carries the new priest and deacon and all the faithful with his blessings and prayers.
Then His Grace, Bishop Ephrem, addressed the two new servants of the Lord with a blessing, praying that they make a blessed service in the field of the Lord.
After the Divine Liturgy, all went to the church’s reception, as the brass band performed the Scouts of Prophet Elias, where the sovereign and the fathers accepted the greetings and wishes, then a charity table for the new clergy and their families was held in the Hall.
— Source: facebook.com/antiochpatriarchate.org