FAYROUZEH

Name of the Parish: Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish

Establishment: The establishment of the parish composed of believers dates back to 1925.

The church building itself was constructed in the third decade of the twentieth century.

Location and Geographic Surroundings:

It originated in the village of Fairouzeh, in the governorate of Homs, in an agricultural area. It is close to the city of Homs, and the villages of Zaidal, Maskaneh, and the eastern villages of Fahileh, Rayan, Thabetieh, and Zubaidi….

During the Patriarchate of Patriarch Ephrem II, Patriarch of the Syriac Antiochian Church

 Names of the Priests Who Served the Parish Over Time:

In the tradition of the Syriac Catholic Church, a priest is ordained to serve in the diocese, not in a single parish. Therefore, all the priests of the Homs diocese have alternated in serving the parishes for different periods. Notable among them are:

Father Georges Abou Eid

Father Ibrahim Danhish

Father Ephrem Nakhleh

Father Hanna Dahy

Father Louis Awad

Father Abdul-Masih Debbas

Father Philippe Barakat

Father Talat Yazji

Father Iyad Ghanem

and Father George Massouh

Donors Who Contributed to the Construction and Renovation:

The land for building the church and its annexes was donated by the (Medaa family) . Parish members also contributed, as did our diocese in Homs, foreign church organizations, individual initiatives from parish members, and collective initiatives from expatriates of the village.

Patron Saint of the Parish:

Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, perhaps named due to the widespread veneration of the Sacred Heart of Jesus at that time.

Overview of Parish Activities:

Under the support and encouragement of the respectful pastors, several activities and initiatives take place in the parish:

1. Training of deacons for service.
2. Choir training.
3. Attention to Christian education for all stages, and training of educators.
4. Sacred Heart of Jesus Women’s Brotherhood.
5. Social initiative and providing food to the needy.
6. Collecting and distributing clothes to the needy.
7. Activities for men…

Families and Their Number:

320 Syriac Catholic families. The church also caters to the pastoral services of families belonging to the Maronite, Chaldean, and Armenian Catholic churches residing in the village.

Relationship with Other Churches and Denominations:

A relationship of brotherhood and mutual respect exists, as there are several sister churches in the village, including Syriac Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Greek Catholic, and the Presbyterian Evangelical Church.

Martyrs:

The parish has offered a number of martyrs, just like other churches that have sacrificed their sons on the altar of the Lord.

Projects:

On the structural level, the parish continually works on establishing endowments with support from its members both locally and abroad. Efforts are made to beautify and improve old endowments, such as building a summer garden for church activities, constructing endowment shops, licensing for a commercial complex, and building and furnishing a condolence hall. Additionally, a hall for investment was built on a piece of land donated by the Meda family. The large hall was renovated with support and donations from devoted benefactors. Recently, a parish salon with a priest’s office, a visitor reception wing, and an apartment for the priest were built. The church entrance was also expanded, all supported by the church’s expatriates.

On the spiritual level, deacons are being trained in church rituals and the Syriac language to serve the holy altar. The parish also hosts spiritual gatherings for the diocese.