The Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, John X of Antioch, has called for peace and compassion amid the ongoing military escalation in the Middle East.

Speaking on March 15 during a liturgy in Damascus, the head of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch urged believers to pray for an end to violence and suffering across the region.

The service took place on the third Sunday of Great Lent, known in the Orthodox tradition as the Veneration of the Cross, at the Church of the Holy Cross. Clergy, parishioners and diplomats attended the liturgy, including the ambassadors of Greece and Lebanon.

In his sermon, Patriarch John X said the Cross remains a source of hope for believers in times of war and hardship. “On the feast of the Cross we look upon the whole world from this eastern land and ask for peace and mercy for it,” he said.

After the service, the patriarch opened an icon exhibition at the church and met with members of the St. Gregory Orthodox Society, which marked the feast together with parish groups.

His remarks came as tensions continue to rise between Israel and the Lebanese armed movement Hezbollah. According to reports by BBC, Israeli forces in recent days have launched limited ground operations in southern Lebanon, saying they are aimed at dismantling the group’s military infrastructure.

The fighting has already led to a major humanitarian crisis. Lebanese authorities report that hundreds of people have been killed, while hundreds of thousands have been forced to flee their homes.

Earlier, Patriarch John X also held a phone conversation with Elias Audi, expressing support for residents of southern Lebanon. “We are with you in our thoughts and with our people. We pray that this machine of war will stop,” the patriarch said.