The 57th Biennial Antiochian Archdiocese Convention

July 27: Orthros, Hierarchal Divine Liturgy, Ordination of Subdn. Steven (Moses) Bynum to the holy diaconate, Trisagion Service (photo album)

On Sunday, July 27, the final day of the 57th biennial Archdiocese Convention, His Eminence Metropolitan Saba, joined by Their Graces Bishop John and Bishop Anthony, celebrated Orthros and the Hierarchal Divine Liturgy at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare Chicago Hotel.

Sayidna Saba was assisted by eight priests, nine deacons, and a team of subdeacons and altar servers. Surrounding them were hundreds of faithful who had given of their time—as much as a week—talent and treasure to be with their brothers and sisters to build up the body of Christ.

His Eminence preached on the day’s gospel reading (Matt. 9:27-35), in which two blind men asked our Lord Jesus Christ first for mercy and then their eyesight. Sayidna Saba compared this to last Sunday’s gospel reading (Matt. 9:1-8) in which Jesus forgave the sins of a paralytic and then healed him.

“We should ask first for our spiritual healing and health,” His Eminence said. “Then we should look at our bodily sicknesses. When we don’t know we are sick spiritually, it could be due to ignorance or pride or other vices.”

“We are not alert enough to know our passions, vices and sins. We don’t accept to believe that we are vulnerable people spiritually. Let us look at our spiritual blindness.”

In the liturgy, Sayidna Saba ordained Subdn. Steven (Moses) Bynum to the holy diaconate. He will continue serving in his new role in his home parish, the host parish of St. George Church of Cicero, Illinois.

After the liturgy, His Eminence prayed a Trisagion Service for the new martyrs of Prophet Elias Church in Damascus and Sacred Family Church in Gaza which had come under terror attacks in recent weeks.

Total registration for the Convention surpassed 1,900. The host pastor, Archpriest Fouad Saba, again thanked His Eminence, Their Graces, the clergy and the laity for coming, encouraging them to share the lessons and experiences of the Convention with their communities.

July 26: Oratorical Festival, Grand Banquet (photo album)

“I am not afraid for the future of our Archdiocese because of these speakers and their generation.”

On Saturday, July 26, His Eminence Metropolitan Saba was energized by the seven Oratorical Festival contestants at the Archdiocese Convention, representing their dioceses. They spoke on the Convention theme: “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).

“I did not just hear theology, but also, a living testimony to our faith,” His Eminence said. “Many people may not be able to explain the Theotokos, but they can feel her in their lives.”

The judges’ choice was Sophia Griffith of the Diocese of Miami and the Southeast and All Saints Church of Raleigh, N.C. She won a scholarship from Sayidna Saba. The other participants received scholarships from Julie and Salim Abboud. Julie has coordinated the Archdiocese’s Oratorical Festival for many years and was once a judges’ choice herself.

That evening, the attendees broke bread together for the last time at the “Antiochian Legacy” Grand Banquet, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the reunification of the former New York and Toledo archdioceses to become the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America; and the 120th anniversary of the founding of The WORD Magazine by St. Raphael Hawaweeny, bishop of Brooklyn.

“We do nothing at this Convention without remembering our brothers and sisters in the Middle East who are suffering, as well as our Patriarch John X, and our mother church,” said Archpriest Fouad Saba, the host pastor from St. George Church of Cicero, Illinois.

“The Church is our last line of defense in this broken world. This Convention is an expression of the church’s witness and strength in the world today. This Convention gives us the opportunity to be bolder and stronger in our resolve.”

“I am so proud of St. George Church of Cicero,” His Eminence said. “I see how the clergy and people of this blessed parish love Christ, their church, and how they cooperate with each other to do their best for their church and their Archdiocese.”

“This convention is one example. It was well organized, and what is more important is that everyone at this convention smiled the whole time. The signs of happiness are so clear in your faces and in the faces of all who participated in this convention.”

Sayidna Saba thanked all the hosts for their hard work and all who work to enhance the Archdiocese’s unity centered on our Lord Jesus Christ. He also thanked Salim Abboud, the Archdiocese’s chief financial officer, for his tireless work and diligence to ensure organization and transparency with the finances; and Fawaz El Khoury, the vice chairman of the Board of Trustees, for his non-stop generosity and willingness to travel and sacrifice for the Archdiocese.

July 25: Divine Liturgy, book signing by Metropolitan Saba, General Assembly (day two), the Paraklesis service, inductions of members for The Order of St. Ignatius of Antioch (photo album)

Following the Divine Liturgy commemorating St. Anna, the mother of the Mother of God, on the morning of July 25, His Eminence Metropolitan Saba signed copies of his new autobiography, “A Life Testimony” (English) (Arabic), giving him an opportunity to visit with Convention attendees individually.

The editors of his book, Archimandrites Jeremy Davis and Calinic Berger, recounted how Sayidna Saba explained how he was born into an Orthodox Christian family, though he spent part of his youth meeting and working with Christians of other traditions before finally solidifying his place in Holy Orthodoxy. His experience of conversion is relatable to the experience of converts in North America.

His book talks about how holy tradition is meant to shape us and draw us closer to Christ. It is not a set of dead rules or practices. His Eminence stresses that God’s Providence is always guiding us. The more we surrender ourselves to the Lord, the more he gives us courage to be faithful.

In the General Assembly, the Archdiocesan departments shared their successes in the past two years and their hopes for the next two years. Youth and Young Adult Ministries has enlisted Fr. Mark Sultani to be the spiritual advisor for Young Adult Ministry (YAM) which the department is trying to revitalize.

The Youth team is also developing “The Learning Ladder,” a measuring stick to determine where children of different ages should be in their knowledge of the faith. The department also wants to hold conferences for Church School teachers and directors, as well as for youth and camping workers.

The Dept. of Sacred Music announced a highly successful 40th anniversary Sacred Music Institute which filled the Antiochian Village to capacity. The Antiochian Orthodox Ecclesiastical Online Music School is set to begin its third semester in September. The department’s chairwoman, Mareena Boosamra Ball, shared the joyous news that the National Archdiocesan Choir is scheduled to sing at the famous Carnegie Hall in New York on June 6, 2026.

Joy Magazine has announced it has more than doubled its subscriptions to 850 households for its children’s publication. Launched by Metropolitan Saba last year, its pages are filled with lessons and illustrations geared towards teaching the youngest Orthodox Christians about the faith.

The General Assembly approved four resolutions by acclimation. Two of them honored the Convention’s hosts of St. George Church of Cicero, Illinois for a highly successful synaxis; and the ministry of His Grace Bishop Basil, the retired bishop of Wichita and Mid-America. The other two resolutions called for peace and an end to the fighting and bloodshed in the Middle East; and a statement of solidarity with His Beatitude Patriarch John X of Antioch and All the East as he provides fatherly care for his spiritual children during these unstable times.

On Friday evening, at the service of Paraklesis, Metropolitan Saba, the bishops, clergy and all the faithful prayed to the Mother of God to beseech her Son and our God, our Lord Jesus Christ, to comfort the suffering world, especially the survivors and surviving family members of the deadly attacks on Prophet Elias Church in Damascus last month and Sacred Family Church in Gaza in recent days.

They also prayed for His Beatitude Patriarch John X, the medical professionals and those participating in relief efforts. Some of the survivors and victims in Damascus were spiritual children of His Eminence’s former Archdiocese in Syria.

Sayidna Saba recalled that one of the survivors told local news media that she was sorrowful, but not desolate, because she believes in the resurrection. He added that, remarkably, people have discovered Christianity because of the martyrs who died for Christ. Here is video of the ninth ode of the Paraklesis.

After the service, His Eminence and the Archdiocesan bishops inducted and upgraded 23 members into The Order of St. Ignatius of Antioch, the philanthropic arm of the Archdiocese.

July 24: General Assembly (day one), Great Vespers for St. Anna, “My Kind of Town” Chicago dinner event (photo album)

Thursday, July 24 marked the first day of the general assembly that convened under His Eminence Metropolitan Saba who delivered his keynote address. He outlined his vision for the Archdiocese for the next two years, identifying areas for improvement while also thanking God for the accomplishments since the last Archdiocese Convention in 2023.

Mr. Salim Abboud, the Archdiocese’s Chief Financial Officer, announced that the Archdiocese received a “clean audit” score from the external firm examining the Archdiocese’s finances. The 2024 audit report is available upon request. He also presented the annual financial report that has grown to a $7 million budget.

Mr. Roger David, North American Chairman of The Order of St. Ignatius of Antioch, delivered his final report to the general assembly as he retires after ten years of leadership. Sayidna Saba surprised him with the Gold Medal of St. Raphael of Brooklyn for his tireless sacrifices and contributions.

The general assembly was treated to a special video recapping the recent historic pilgrimage by the seminarians and recent seminary graduates to Jordan and Lebanon. Five priests who made that journey with His Eminence recounted the inspiring pastors and their pastoral care for their people in their spiritual ancestral homeland, even under insurmountable circumstances. They saw the remarkable faithfulness of the people they met who so warmly welcomed them. “Hospitality there is not an accident, it is intentional, drawn from the hospitality of God himself,” said Fr. Anthony Gilbert, pastor of St. George Church of Grand Rapids, Mich.

After the general assembly recessed for the day, the Convention attendees gathered for Great Vespers with Litia-Artoklasia for the commemoration of the Dormition of St. Anna, the mother of the Mother of God. The festive service featured the combined praises of nearly 50 Byzantine chanters and choral singers.

The day concluded with “My Kind of Town,” a Chicago dinner and music event that featured some of the area’s favorite foods and tunes.

July 23: Department meetings, Club Saint George, Antiochian Women’s brunch and meeting, Young Adult Ministry discussion, Bible Bowl (photo album)

Club Saint George, Antiochian Women’s brunch and meeting, Young Adult Ministry discussion, departmental meetings and the Bible Bowl filled an action-packed July 23 at the Archdiocese Convention.

Hundreds of children ages 4-12 have a summer camp/vacation bible school built into the Convention for them to grow in faith. His Eminence Metropolitan Saba joined them for a little bit, asking them about their favorite saints. They also sang to him the apolytikion (troparion) of St. George that they had been learning.

His Eminence and the Archdiocesan bishops then joined the Antiochian Women for their brunch and meeting. The president, Sheryl Vanderwagen, presented Sayidna Saba a check with the latest installment, $162,000, for the Widowed Clergy Wives Endowment Fund. Coupled with a matching grant of $179,000 from the Orthodox Vision Foundation, the total endowment has surpassed $1.23 million.

The Women also raised over $15,000 for the Casa Cuna Infant Orphanage at Project Mexico as their shared act of mercy. Additionally, parish chapters donated via an Amazon wish list to support the only Orthodox orphanage in North America.

His Eminence shared about his own mother keeping God in their house to show him and his siblings how to keep their faith. He added that God is not only in the church, but in our homes, so we should keep dedicated prayer corners. Sayidna Saba concluded by saying that all women serve as spiritual mothers – those with children and those without – which is their vital role in the church.

The Antiochian Women thanked Fawaz and Jo-Ellen El Khoury for sponsoring the brunch.

Throughout the day, the departments, organizations and ministries held meetings designed to show attendees their good works and how to get involved in them. The Dept. of Finance presented the annual financial report and announced that the latest external financial audit report is available upon request. The Financial Strategic Planning and Budget Committee met with department heads for a workshop on zero-based budgeting.

The Dept. of Missions and Evangelism heard about the latest efforts from the chairman, Fr. John Finley, to plant new churches across North America, including introducing them to readers services in the absence of a priest. Fr. Paul Abernathy shared that his Neighborhood Resilience Project is at the heart of missionary work, providing healthcare, response to violence, help with bills and daily divine services.

Young Adult Ministry started its gathering with breakout sessions based on age groups. They outlined their own needs as college students, adults just starting their careers, and adults with established careers looking for spouses.

Metropolitan Saba encouraged them to not just be receivers from the church, but to be contributors to it and find their roles. This gives youth and young adults ownership in the church, especially when they fulfill its needs. Each Christian shares in the royal priesthood of believers.

“The youth are full of energy,” he said. “Let them use it in the church!”

The winners of the Archdiocesan Bible Bowl competition here at the convention is the host parish of St. George Church of Cicero, Illinois! Their teens, representing the Diocese of Toledo and the Midwest, missed a perfect score by just one point, and beat the second-place team, Saint Philip Church of Souderton, Penn., representing the Dioceses of the East, by just one point.

The first-place team will split a $6000 scholarship from Fawaz and Jo-Ellen El Khoury. The second-place team will split a $1500 scholarship from Elie and Paula Haig.

Congratulations to all seven teams on an intense competition! Next year’s book for the Bible Bowl is Exodus.

July 22: Clergy and Clergy Wives breakfast and meetings, The Order of St. Ignatius of Antioch dinner (photo album)

Tuesday, July 22, the second day of the Archdiocese Convention, was the day for the clergy and their wives to come together in fellowship. They shared a breakfast with His Eminence Metropolitan Saba and the Archdiocese bishops, sponsored by Charles and Marilee Ajalat.

Afterward, Sayidna Saba presided at the clergy meeting with more than 200 priests and deacons. He gave them updates on the life of the Archdiocese, including forthcoming new editions of liturgical books, offered encouragement to continue in their ministries in bringing their congregations to our Lord Jesus Christ, and shared with them practical advice in their pastoral service.

At the same time, the clergy wives discussed ways to stay connected throughout the year across the Archdiocese to build up their sisterhood, share their experiences, and support and pray for each other. A breakout session grouped the seasoned khouriyehs with the new ones to share ways of balancing church life and family life, so that they do not become overwhelmed.

The day concluded with the dinner for The Order of St. Ignatius of Antioch, the philanthropic arm of the Archdiocese. His Eminence and the members honored Roger David, the outgoing North American chairman, for his ten years of leadership. In his tenure, The Order gained more than 900 new members and more than 200 membership upgrades. Roger steered the organization through the pandemic to ensure the ministries that The Order supports did not see a significant loss of assistance.

His daughters, Sarah, Mary and Lily, spoke lovingly about their father, as he taught them about giving the “three Ts” to their church – time, talent and treasure – as well as a “fourth T” – travel. Roger travelled hundreds of thousands of miles to host town halls, boost memberships and personally connect with members and beneficiaries that he said personally enriched him.

To conclude the evening, Sayidna Saba inducted Mr. Odie Fakhouri, the dinner’s sponsor and chief operating officer of America’s Community Council, to Metropolitan member of The Order.

July 21: Blessing of the chapel, daily vespers, Antiochian Game Night (photo album)

“Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be unto me according to your word.” — Luke 1:38

The 57th biennial convention of the Antiochian Archdiocese began on Monday, July 21 with His Eminence Metropolitan Saba blessing the chapel at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare Hotel Chicago. Here, the bishops, clergy and laity will gather twice a day to worship our Lord Jesus Christ and honor His Mother and His saints, starting with Vespers for Saint Mary Magdalene in the presence of the miraculous weeping icon of Our Lady of Cicero, brought by the host parish of St. George Church of Cicero, Illinois.

The host pastor, Archpriest Fouad Saba, welcomed everyone, highlighting the convention theme (Luke 1:38) in which Mary the mother of God put aside her questions and doubts to welcome our Savior in her womb. He added that the purpose of the convention is to understand the light that Christ gave us so that we can use it to shine in our communities after we have returned home.

On Monday evening, the parish hosted Antiochian Game Night in which participants had fun competing and answering questions in a game show format.