We are immensely pleased to see this Congress convened, for the first time, in Romania, and in Southeastern Europe. Bucharest, with its rich Christian and cultural heritage, is a fitting place for scholars, students and researchers to meet in mutual respect, scholarly exchange and cooperation. The theme of this Congress, "Peace and Dialogue for the Preservation of Literary and Material Heritage," expresses a responsibility shared by all. Heritage is not merely the object of academic study: it bears the memory, identity and spiritual legacy of peoples and communities, which can be a source of education for our generation and future ones in appreciation of each other's heritage and learning from each other.
Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, Primate of the Syriac Orthodox Church
The message of His Holiness Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Primate of the Syriac Orthodox Church to the official opening ceremony of the World Congress of Syriac Studies and the International Conference on Christian Arabic Studies, organized by the Levant Institute and the Romanian Academy, brought the voice of one of the world's oldest Christian traditions to the participants' attention.
The Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch has its origins in the ancient Apostolic See of Antioch, one of the fundamental centers of early Christianity. Its tradition is closely tied to the Syriac language, one of the historical languages of Eastern Christianity, related to the Aramaic spoken during the time of Jesus Christ. Over the centuries, this Church has preserved a rich liturgical, theological, and cultural heritage, passed down through generations of followers, scholars, and monks.
Beyond his Patriarchal office, Ignatius Aphrem II is a theologian shaped by the intersection of the tradition of Eastern Christianity and the experience of the contemporary world. His spiritual and pastoral journey has brought him closer to communities facing difficult circumstances, both in the Middle East and within the broader Syriac diaspora. This experience has helped shape his vision in which the defense of the faith is inseparable from the defense of human dignity, dialogue, and peace.
Having been elected Patriarch during a period marked by war and instability in Syria, His Holiness Ignatius Aphrem II has taken on not only the responsibility of leading the Church but also that of being the voice of those communities affected by violence, displacement, and the loss of their homelands.
In numerous public statements, the Patriarch has drawn attention to the tragedies caused by the conflict in the Middle East: families forced to flee their homes, historical communities scattered to the winds, churches and monasteries damaged, and a cultural heritage now placed in grave danger. One of the moments that has remained etched in the memory of the Syriac communities in Syria was the tragedy of the city of Sadad, one of the country's oldest Christian settlements, whose residents were subjected to violence and many families were forced to flee during heinous attacks in 2013.
For Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II, the tragedy of Sadad has come to symbolize the vulnerability of Christian communities in the region and the imperative to protect not only monuments and places of worship, but also the communities that bring this heritage to life. Nevertheless, his message to the convened World Congress of Syriac Studies was not one of despair, but one of hope and responsibility, with peace, reconciliation, respect for every person, and the conviction that cultural and spiritual memory can contribute to the healing of societies affected by conflict at the heart of his appeals.
In his message to the participants of the Bucharest Congress, Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II reaffirmed the importance of dialogue among Churches, scholars, and cultural institutions for preserving a heritage that has spanned nearly two millennia of history. For the academic world, Syriac studies mean the study of a civilization; however, for Syriac communities, they represent the preservation of an identity and a living memory.
MESSAGE DELIVERED BY HIS HOLINESS MORAN MOR IGNATIUS APHREM II, SYRIAC ORTHODOX PATRIARCH OF ANTIOCH AND ALL THE EAST, TO THE WORLD CONGRESS OF SYRIAC STUDIES AND THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CHRISTIAN ARABIC STUDIES, ORGANIZED BY THE LEVANT INSTITUTE AND THE ROMANIAN ACADEMY
We extend our heartfelt greetings to you all on the occasion of the Fourteenth World Congress of Syriac Studies – Symposium Syriacum – and the Twelfth Conference of Christian Arab Studies, held in the historic city of Bucharest.
We offer our sincere gratitude to the Romanian Academy, the Institute of Advanced Studies in Levant Culture and Civilization, the Scientific and Organizing Committees and all the institutions and individuals whose dedication has made this distinguished gathering possible.
We also offer our appreciation to Dr. Cătălin-Ștefan Popa, President of the Congress, together with the scholars, partners and public authorities who have contributed to this important international event.
We are immensely pleased to see this Congress convened, for the first time, in Romania, and in Southeastern Europe. Bucharest, with its rich Christian and cultural heritage, is a fitting place for scholars, students and researchers to meet in mutual respect, scholarly exchange and cooperation.
The theme of this Congress, "Peace and Dialogue for the Preservation of Literary and Material Heritage," expresses a responsibility shared by all. Heritage is not merely the object of academic study: it bears the memory, identity and spiritual legacy of peoples and communities, which can be a source of education for our generation and future ones in appreciation of each other's heritage and learning from each other.
Peace is the condition which communities can live securely, and heritage can endure. Where conflict prevails, communities are displaced, archives and manuscripts are endangered, and churches, monasteries, libraries, cemeteries and historic sites face irreparable loss.
Dialogue is likewise indispensable among Churches, scholars, academic institutions, public authorities, cultures and religious communities. True dialogue honours the integrity of each tradition while building mutual understanding, trust and responsible cooperation.
Syriac and Christian Arabic heritage is a living inheritance. It is expressed in faith and liturgy, theology and Biblical interpretation, literature and poetry, philosophy and intellectual life, as well as in the historical memory of Christian communities. Across the centuries, Syriac-speaking and Arabic-speaking Christians preserved, interpreted, translated and transmitted theological, philosophical, scientific, literary and historical learning, enriching the wider intellectual life of the Mediterranean and Near Eastern worlds.
This inheritance belongs to humanity, yet it is inseparable from the communities that have faithfully carried it from generation to generation. Manuscripts and monuments, living languages and sacred music, libraries and liturgical traditions, churches and monasteries all form one sacred and interconnected heritage. For this reason, the preparation of critical editions, cataloguing, conservation, digitization, archaeological and epigraphic research, and international scholarly cooperation are indispensable. They preserve historical memory, and make this heritage available to future generations.
We therefore encourage every effort to protect, study, digitise and make accessible the manuscripts and cultural treasures of the Syriac and Christian Arab traditions. We also renew Our appeal for sustained support for Christian communities in the Middle East, so that they may remain in their ancestral homeland and continue their spiritual, cultural and civic witness.
The Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch remains committed to cooperation with scholars, Churches, academic institutions, cultural organizations, and all people of goodwill in preserving and promoting this shared inheritance. The participation of the Patriarchal Department of Syriac Studies in this Symposium is a sign of our great interest in the proceedings of your gathering
We pray that this Congress may deepen scholarly exchange, strengthen cooperation among institutions and researchers, and inspire a new generation to serve the Syriac and Christian Arabic traditions for the benefit of scholarship, the Church, and humanity.
May our Lord God bless the organisers, speakers, participants and all who have contributed to this Congress. May he grant you wisdom in your deliberations and lasting fruit in your work for the preservation of our shared heritage.
May God bless you all.
