On November 4th, the Antiochian Orthodox Church celebrated the canonization of two new saints, Priest Nicholas Hashsh and his son Habib Hashsh, with a divine liturgy at the Church of the Holy Cross of our Lord in Damascus. The liturgy was presided over by His Beatitude John X, Patriarch of Antioch.

In October, the Holy Synod of Antioch decided to recognize as saints Priest Nigola and his son Habib Khasha, two Damascene priests who suffered martyrdom for their faith in the last century.

At the time, Syria was under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, and the Antiochian Church was under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. As a layman, Father Nigola was an activist advocating for the return of the Antiochian Patriarchate under the control of the Arabs. He was actively involved in creating and developing schools for the community, later being ordained as a priest. He worked to reunite scattered flocks and cared for and strengthened the faithful who faced various forms of persecution and ethnic cleansing. Turkish authorities falsely arrested Father Nigola, and he endured torture until his martyrdom in 1916.

Habib, the elder son of Father Nigola, followed in his father's footsteps. Despite his success in business, he decided to become a priest, serving in both Damascus and Cairo. He maintained a life of fervent prayer, cared for his parishioners, and aided the poor. In the hagiography published by the Antiochian Church, it is noted that Father Habib was killed by robbers in 1948 who recognized him as a priest and attacked him.

The tradition of the martyrdom of these two priests has been preserved in the Antiochian Church for decades. Their feast day has been established on July 16.

Following the liturgy honoring the new saints, Patriarch John addressed the gathered faithful with a sermon.

"All believers should strive for holiness, not only monks and nuns. The path to holiness is to forget what is behind – darkness, murder, and vice – and to strive forward toward the teachings of Christ and virtues. Saints Nigola and Habib were both born and raised in the same family, so let us preserve our families and our children. The words 'father,' 'mother,' 'grandfather,' 'grandmother,' 'brother,' and 'sister' are sacred words that we must cherish," emphasized the Antiochian Patriarch.

After the prayers, the congregation conducted a procession through the city's streets with an icon of the two holy martyrs.