It is with extreme sadness that His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph and the hierarchs, clergy, and faithful of the Antiochian Archdiocese offer our prayers and condolences to the families of all of the victims of the horrific terrorist attacks that were perpetrated last week against the people of Beirut and Paris. We ask our gracious and merciful Lord to bestow healing upon the victims who were injured, repose of soul for those whose lives were taken, and some measure of comfort to the families of the victims. We pray to God that He will soften the hearts of those who inflict pain and suffering and that He will grant to the world the peace that can only come from above.
We speak out in the strongest possible terms against all forms of violence which are carried out against our fellow human beings and proclaim that we will stand in solidarity with all people of peace and good will. We are mindful that those who perpetrate these acts of violence are intent on spreading fear, but we are comforted by the words of St. Paul to Timothy, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)
