His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II celebrated the Holy Qurobo at the Armenian Church of Bucharest. It is the first time that a Syriac Orthodox Patriarch celebrates the Holy Qurobo in Romania.

His Holiness was assisted by their Eminences: Mor Theophilus Georges Saliba, Archbishop of Mount Lebanon and Tripoli, Mor Selwanus Boutros Al-Nehmeh, Archbishop of Homs, Hama and Environs, and Mor Timotheos Matta Al-Khoury, Patriarchal Vicar in the Patriarchal Archdiocese of Damascus, in the presence of the Armenian Archbishop of Romania Datev Hakobian as well as the clergy and faithful accompanying His Holiness.

In his sermon, His Holiness talked about the goals of this historical visit to Romania. He then commented on the Qurobo gospel explaining the importance of rites and traditions as ways that bring us closer to God; yet, one should not stick blindly to them, for “the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mk. 2:27)