Archbishop of Homs
Julian Yacoub Murad. These are peculiar days for Christians in Syria and also for us of the monastic community of Deir Mar Musa. Our brother, the monk Jacques Mourad, born in Aleppo, has just been ordained Syriac Catholic Archbishop of the Archieparchy of Homs, to which the titles of Hama and Nabk are linked. In his speech during the liturgy of consecration, celebrated on Friday, March 3 in the Syriac Catholic Cathedral of Homs, and then in his first homily as Archbishop, Jacques Mourad traced, so to speak, a sort of "road map" for the Archdiocese and I would say, for the Church in Syria, with hints and references that are worth repeating. At the end of his episcopal ordination, and after thanking the ecclesiastical and civil authorities present, the new Archbishop Mōr Youlian Yagop (Jacques) Mourad began his address by greeting men and women "believers, people of the living God, Christians and Muslims". He then recalled "with much gratitude to the one who prepared the way for me and who was my father and my guide, the Jesuit monk Paolo Dall'Oglio, witness and martyr of the Church, who followed Christ to the end, by offering himself to the example of his Master Jesus. Father Paolo - continued the new Bishop - founded a community great in its testimony, though small in number, which lives in the Church at the Deir Mar Musa Monastery in the desert". He then thanked his and our monastic community "for the sacrifice of one of its members for the noblest purpose, that is, the service of the people of God". Bishop Jacques then addressed the Ecumenical Council of Bishops of Homs. "I am the least of you, he told them, and I am ready to.