Damascus, Dec 20 (Prensa Latina) His Beatitude John X, Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch and All the East, will arrive in Damascus today, from Lebanon.
A popular reception is scheduled to welcome the newly elected leader of the Christian congregation in the seat of the Patriarchate, in this capital.
According to a note of that institution, the faithful will offer psalms and prayers during the gala, while Friday and Saturday the activities are scheduled in the same institution.
The program also includes celebrating Mass at the Cathedral Mariamite, on Sunday 23 previous to the Christmas services, and on Sunday 30, on the eve of the New Year, the note said.
John Yazigi on Monday became the 158th spiritual leader of the congregation, considered heir of the Apostles Peter and Paul and successor of Ignatius IV Hazim, who died on December 5 at 91 years old.
Yazayi was born in 1955 in the Syrian coastal city of Latakia where he studied at the Faculty of Civil Engineering at the University of Tishreen.
The Orthodox Church of Antioch and All the East is one of the fifteen autocephalous churches (they can choose their leader) within the Orthodox communion and one of the five patriarchates of the early Church before the schism of East and West, in 1054.
Sinay Céspedes Moreno