Discussions of the prayer services of the Church. Prayer requests. Please pray for all who post here. All Forum Rules apply. No polemics. No heated discussions. No name-calling.
As Holy Nativity approaches, I would very much appreciate everyone keep the Arabian Christians whether they be Palestinian, Lebanese, or Iranian in your prayers. With all the terror and violence going on one can only hope they can attend liturgies.
To go along with the original topic, here's a profoundly beautiful Arabic Orthodox Christmas carol.
A common mistake, Justice : Iranians are NOT Arabs. There ARE some Arabs living in Khuzistan, the southwest oil-rich province, but these are not Christians. Most Christians in Iran are Armenians, around Isfahan, Teheran and farther north.
There are also a significant number of Assyrian Christians in northern and northwestern Iran. These pride themselves on being descended from the ancient Assyrians, whose Empire was based in Assur, in what is today northern Iraq. While that descent is not sure, it is clear that the Assyrians are not Arabs.
Good idea of yours to pray for these, as well as the Palestinians and Lebanese. For, all of these groups have undergone so much turmoil in the past decades. Most Westerners can not imagine this dangerous and stressful life, and few think much about their fate.
Isn't it wonderful that Nativity falls on a Sunday this year ? Let's pray it will be special for ALL suffering and oppressed Christians in the Middle East and beyond.
A common mistake, Justice : Iranians are NOT Arabs. There ARE some Arabs living in Khuzistan, the southwest oil-rich province, but these are not Christians. Most Christians in Iran are Armenians, around Isfahan, Teheran and farther north.
There are also a significant number of Assyrian Christians in northern and northwestern Iran. These pride themselves on being descended from the ancient Assyrians, whose Empire was based in Assur, in what is today northern Iraq. While that descent is not sure, it is clear that the Assyrians are not Arabs.
Good idea of yours to pray for these, as well as the Palestinians and Lebanese. For, all of these groups have undergone so much turmoil in the past decades. Most Westerners can not imagine this dangerous and stressful life, and few think much about their fate.
Isn't it wonderful that Nativity falls on a Sunday this year ? Let's pray it will be special for ALL suffering and oppressed Christians in the Middle East and beyond.
I should have phrased the title to fit all ethnic groups in the Middle East. Thank you for correcting me.
Yes, that Christmas Carol is haunting, isn't it ?
I particularly liked the Icon of the Mother of God at 3:56. I enjoyed the picture of the Treasury at Petra, the Rose-red ancient Nabatean City, the most widely visited historical site in modern day Jordan. Let's remember that the West Bank, where many of the holiest Christian sites are, used to be part of Jordan.