Paramus, NJ – On Friday, December 12, 2025 hundreds of faithful from a multiplicity of Orthodox Christian traditions gathered together to lift their voices in praise to the Holy Trinity and to the Holy Theotokos in concert with clergy and choirs representing both the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox church families.
The concert was hosted by His Eminence Archbishop Mor Dionysios John Kawak of the Syriac Orthodox Archdiocese of the Eastern USA at St. Mark’s Cathedral. His Eminence was joined at the event by His Grace Bishop David (President of the Standing Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches and Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of New York & New England), His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros (Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North America), His Eminence Archbishop Mor Titus Yeldho (Malankara Archdiocese of the Syriac Orthodox Church), His Eminence Archbishop Petros (Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church Archdiocese of New York & Its Surrounding Regions), and His Grace Bishop Gabriel (Coptic Orthodox Archdiocese of North America). Also present were dozens of clergy, including the V. Rev. Fr. Simeon Odabashian representing His Grace Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan (Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church) and V. Rev. Fr. Thomas Zain representing His Eminence Metropolitan Saba Isper (Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of North America).
During the course of a joyous and blessed evening, the assembled faithful were blessed to be led in prayer by choirs representing the Syriac, Armenian, Greek, Antiochian, Ethiopian, Malankara-Syriac, and Coptic Orthodox traditions. In addition to His Eminence Archbishop Dionysios’ words of welcome, the faithful were also blessed to hear reflections on the Nativity and on Orthodox unity from His Grace Bishop David, His Eminence Archbishop Titus, and His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros, who delivered the homily. The event was emceed by the Secretary of the Standing Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches, Rev. Archdeacon Gebre Kristos Nicholas Siniari.
While each of the participating choirs prayed in its own linguistic tradition and utilized its own distinctive tradition of chant, they were all united in their shared Orthodox Christian ethos and liturgical approach to worship, theocentric in its nature and patterned upon the worship of the Heavenly Host around the Throne of God. The assembled faithful were reminded at various points throughout the evening that they were gathered not simply to hear a musical recital or to enjoy a cultural showcase, but rather to offer worship, thanks, and praise to Our Merciful God who assumed our human nature in order to redeem it and us through the Holy Mystery of the Incarnation. Regardless of the particular tradition it represents, Orthodox worship reflects our common Orthodox Christian theology and Faith, and therefore unites us all.
The Standing Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches continues to pray for the unity of all Orthodox Christians, and offers its prayers for a blessed Nativity for all of the faithful.
Photos courtesy of Mr. Dimitry Faltas