“His Beatitude Gregory III Laham has been a tower of faith and hope for Christians in Syria,” says Steve Wagner, President of Solidarity with the Persecuted Church
On Saturday, Pope Francis accepted the resignation of the Melkite Greek Patriarch of Antioch, His Beatitude Gregory III Laham. His Beatitude presented his resignation during the course of a special audience with the Holy Father in February, and the Holy Father has accepted the resignation.
“As the Patriarch of Antioch, Gregory III has been a devoted servant of the Church and Our Lord,” commented Steven Wagner, President of SPC. “At the heart of his service to God, his Church and his community was his devotion to Christians in Syria. Had the international community paid more heed to his wise advice, the tragedy in Syria might well now be settled.
“We at Solidarity with the Persecuted Church have been honored to have worked with the Patriarch and will continue to seek to serve his vision for peace in the region and a future for healthy, prosperous, free and respected Melkite Christian communities. We look forward to working with Patriarch Gregory III Laham’s successor in helping all persecuted Christians throughout the region.
“May His Beatitude enjoy a peaceful and blessed retirement, and may we say, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant,’ ” concluded the SPC President.
Solidarity with the Persecuted Church is a 501c3 charitable organization dedicated to bringing awareness to the issue of Christian persecution around the world and to providing practical, non-governmental assistance to Christians and Christian churches in need.
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