Greek Orthodox Patriarch John X of Antioch and All the East sent a message of condolences to Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah over the passing away of former Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. Below is the message text:
“By this letter, we would like to extend to you and the Kuwaiti people through you our sincere sympathy and deepest condolences over the passing away of the God forgiven Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. A few words of least content could never express the journey of our great loss, who is ever-present in the minds of the Kuwaiti people in particular and the Arabs in general, as in the whole world.
The great deceased has contributed to turning Kuwait into a center promoting harmony and goodwill for the benefit of all, in the eye of this world’s balances and tensions, making it and a bridge that has been keeping good relationships with everyone. Thus he protected his people in goodness, love, and harmony, and contributed as much as possible to solve every conflict. We remember with much appreciation and respect his position and efforts to bring peace to Lebanon in the late 1980s. We also recall and appreciate his moderate and prudent stance, as he called for a peaceful solution to the Syrian crisis. We also remember his great hospitality and loftiest nobility when he welcomed us on our visit to Kuwait in January 2015. This stance, if anything, indicated his keen support to our Antiochian Christians present in Kuwait as well as to the other denominations and components.
We send our heartfelt condolences at this great loss to you personally, to the honorable family, and all the people of Kuwait. We have met you personally and know that you carry his wisdom and noble qualities.
Furthermore, we also extend our congratulations and best wishes to you on the occasion of taking the oath of office in his succession. May God Almighty give you more of his wisdom and grants you the strength to continue the endeavors of your great predecessor, who advised and appreciated to choose you as a successor, having discerned in your highness the noble qualities befit for this lofty task.
We ask God to help you in doing the best for the Kuwaiti people, and we also pray for the soul of our great deceased. May God bless him with the abundance of his mercies and perpetuate his divine clemencies on Kuwait and the whole world.
Source: Patriarchate of Antioch
