On July 12, 2025, Patriarch John X of Antioch and All the East met with Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Walid Bukhari at the Patriarchal residence in Balamand. Also present at the meeting was Dr. Elias Warrak, President of the University of Balamand.
The discussion focused on the general situation in Lebanon and Syria and the role of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia within the broader Arab and Middle Eastern context. The meeting included an overview of current affairs in light of the ongoing developments on both the local and regional levels.
Ambassador Bukhari expressed his condemnation of the massacre at St. Elijah Church in Dweila, Damascus, offered his condolences for the victims, and reaffirmed his solidarity with the Patriarchate in this tragedy, which affects not only Christians but all components of Syrian society, and primarily targets the shared coexistence among all communities.
For his part, the Patriarch thanked the ambassador for his sincere condolences and expressed his appreciation for King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, and for the Kingdom’s pivotal role in promoting a culture of tolerance and openness across all issues and challenges facing the region.
The Patriarch also highlighted the longstanding and deep relationship between the Antiochian Orthodox Church and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, recalling the historic visits of Patriarch Elias IV to the Kingdom in 1975 and Patriarch Ignatius IV in 1981.
