On Monday, January 6, 2025, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II celebrated the Holy Qurobo at Mor Gabriel Church in Haworth, New Jersey, in the presence of V. Rev. Fr. Joseph Shabo, V. Rev. Fr. Joseph Chamoun and V. Rev. Fr. Aziz Hadodo, Marking the occasion of Denho (Epiphany). His Holiness began the service by extending warm wishes for a healthy and prosperous New Year to all.
In his sermon, His Holiness reflected on the significance of the Epiphany as the revelation of the Holy Trinity. He explained how the Lord Jesus Christ was proclaimed by the Father as His Beloved Son, referencing two moments in the Holy Bible where the Trinity appeared together: the Epiphany and the Transfiguration of our Lord. His Holiness also emphasized the profound humility of St. John the Baptist, who, despite his influence and the admiration of the crowds, never sought personal glory but always directed others toward Christ. As it is written in John 3:30, “He must increase, but I must decrease,” His Holiness encouraged the congregation to emulate this humility, always remembering their identity as children of God and servants of His divine will. In concluding his sermon, His Holiness reflected on the transformative power of baptism, describing it as a sacred act through which believers are reborn not of the flesh, but of the Holy Spirit and the living water.
