Metropolitan Tikhon attends farewell dinner honoring Patriarch John X

Patriarch John

On the eve of his departure from the US on Wednesday, July 29, 2015, His Beatitude, Patriarch John X of Antioch and All the East was feted at a dinner hosted by His Eminence, Metropolitan Joseph of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America at the Archdiocese Headquarters, Englewood, NJ.

His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon, was among the invited guests, which included the hierarchs who accompanied Patriarch John and Orthodox Christian hierarchs from the New York/New Jersey area, including His Eminence, Archbishop Demetrios of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America; His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia; His Eminence, Archbishop Michael of New York and New Jersey [OCA]; and His Grace, Bishop John, Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA.  Archpriest John Jillions, Chancellor of the Orthodox Church in America, and Archpriest Dr. John Behr and Archpriest Dr. Chad Hatfield, Dean and Chancellor of Saint Vladimir’s Seminary respectively, were also present, as were representatives of the Roman and Syriac Catholic traditions, the Armenian Apostolic Church, local Muslim spiritual leaders, and diplomats representing Syria, Georgia, Lebanon, and Cyprus.

In his address to the assembled guests, Patriarch John stressed that his work for peace is for all of the people of Syria, regardless of their ethnic background or religious beliefs.  He said that the people of Syria are very capable of solving their own problems if they are not interfered with by outsiders.  He called on the superpowers of the world to work diligently to end the violence and to help to bring peace to the region.

A photo gallery and a more complete account of the gathering may be viewed on the Antiochian Archdiocese’s web site.