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Thank you from His Eminence

To His Holiness Mor Ignatius Ephrem II, Patriarch of Antioch, Archbishops, Clergy and Faithful throughout the Syriac Orthodox Church in the USA and worldwide;

His Eminence Archbishop Mor Clemis Eugene Kaplan, and the family of the late Chmouni Georges Bittar extend their deepest appreciation and gratitude for your prayers and support during our time of grief. The Almighty God called His maid Chmouni Georges Bittar to eternal repose in the kingdom of heaven on Tuesday, November 28, 2017. We have been blessed and overwhelmed with the phone calls, emails, letters, and visits of all faithful from the Syriac Church as well as our sister Orthodox churches.

His Eminence Mor Clemis Eugene Kaplan and the family would like to especially thank His Holiness Mor Ignatius Ephram II, and their Eminences prelates of the Holy Synod, and clergy of the Syriac Orthodox Church and all faithful who offered condolences, prayers, and words of encouragement, in particular, our Western Archdiocesan clergy who were with the family in all their sorrow and difficult time, may God reward all of them abundantly.

In the midst of our sorrow, we must try to remember, that though life on this earth has ended, we know that life does not end with death but begins new with eternity, because our Lord promised us, “That where I Am, there you may be also” John 14:3; ”I am the Resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me…shall never die.” (John 11: 25-26) May the late Chmouni find the reward of “the wise virgins” that she most surely was, and that she may rest in the blessed hope of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Our greatest consolation is our belief in Christ's resurrection and the resurrection of all in Him. Our constant prayer for our departed loved ones is an affirmation that they are still alive in Christ, and that, as we are all united in God's love, we will be reunited one day in heaven. For St. Paul says that "neither death nor life...shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom. 8:38)

We pray our Risen Lord Jesus Christ to establish her soul where the righteous repose. We thank you all again for your prayers, support, and love during this time.

Prayerfully,