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Announcement to All Churches of the Western Archdiocese

Our patriarch His Holiness Mor Ignatius Ephraim II, patriarch of Antioch and all the East, supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, will arrive next Wednesday July 02, 2014, a distinguished guest will be received by the Western Archdiocese Archbishop His Eminence Mor Clemis Eugene Kaplan, and to preside over the 31st Youth Convention to be held on 03, 04, 05, 06 of July.

His Holiness will arrive at LAX airport at 04:40 PM on Wednesday July 02, on Lufthansa airlines. The Archdiocese expects His Holiness procession to leave LAX with his entourage, (clergy, govt. officials, and laity) around 06:30 PM. He is expected to arrive in front of St. Ephraim cathedral around 07:30 pm depending on traffic.

Upon Arriving to the cathedral, His Holiness will be welcomed on the red carpet with scouts marching band and the faithful. And upon entering the church, the clergy, choir, and deacons will sing the Syriac welcoming hymn. Then His Holiness will offer the thanksgiving prayers, and after the welcoming speech of his eminence our esteemed Archbishop, His Holiness will bless all attendee faithful. Soon after, the faithful will proceed to obtain His blessings and kiss the holy cross. Parishioners will then leave the church followed by His Holiness while the scout’s band plays special melodies and then all will enter the church social hall for a limited time where all will be blessed in the company of St. Peter's successor.

Then His Holiness and their eminences Mor Clemis Eugene Kaplan and Mor Dionysius John Kawak will leave to the hotel where the Youth Convention will be held.

His Holiness will celebrate the Holy Divine Liturgy on Sunday July 06, 2014, in the sizable hall of the Hilton Costa Mesa hotel.

On Monday July 07, the Western Archdiocese is going to hold an formal reception in honor of His Holiness at the Hilton hotel in the city Glendale. Tickets for this occasion are available at the churches. All faithful are invited to participate in this event.