2010-07-03
His Holiness Mar Ignatius Zakka Iwas, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East of the Syriac Orthodox Church, inaugurated the headquarters of the Syriac Orthodox Diocese and consecrated the Church of Saint Thomas in London, assisted by Metropolitan Mar Athanasius Thomas, Metropolitan of the Syriac Orthodox Church in Great Britain, and a number of Syriac Orthodox bishops who accompanied His Holiness, in addition to a number of priests.
The new headquarters consist of three stories, with a large hall in the first, the second being the Church of St Thomas, and the third being the diocesan seat.
His Eminence Metropolitan John attended the celebration, and made a speech in which he conveyed the best wishes of His Beatitude Patriarch Ignatius IV (Hazim), expressing his joy and warm congratulations to the Syriac Orthodox Church in general, and in particular to the Syriac Orthodox people in London. It is worth noting that the links between Their Eminences Mar Thomas and Metropolitan John are firm and strong.
