The Ordination

Today Josh and I were able to attend the ordination service of three Syrian Orthodox monks.

The story begins last Friday, when we accompanied our friends Jane and Eldon on an excursion to the village of Seidnaya (see my previous blog entry). After a fabulous meal at their favorite restaurant, we decided to visit the monastery/seminary of St. Ephrem, where Eldon works teaching English to the seminarians.

We arrived just in time to catch 4:00 prayers, which were hauntingly beautiful. The liturgy consists primarily of song and chant, and much of it is in the ancient language of Syriac. On our way out, we passed by the Syrian Orthodox Patriarch’s chambers, and he beckoned us to come in. He was very kind and encouraged Josh and I to continue to work for mutual understanding between our countries. He also invited us to the ordination today, so we made plans to return with Jane and Eldon in two days’ time.

The highlight of today’s service was the singing of the Lord’s Prayer in Syriac. Another interesting item of note is that when the three men became monks, they each received a new name. Each of them also now wears an embroidered black head covering and black cassock to signify their chosen vocation.

One of the great things about St. Ephrem’s is its location. Far removed from Damascus’ smog and bustle, it is in the country overlooking rolling hills which still have snow on them. We thoroughly enjoyed this chance to explore yet another perspective on life in Syria.