On Christmas Day at 12:15 p.m. Protodeacon Christopher Li Greci fell asleep in the Lord strengthened by the Holy Mysteries and following a long illness. As Fr. Economos Romanus Russo, a priest of the Melkite Eparchy wrote, “It was only fitting that, as the world celebrated the birth of the Christ, he who bore Christ (Christo-phoros) to so many, would have been born to everlasting life. May his memory be eternal.”

Father Christopher’s funeral is scheduled for early January at the (Melkite-Greek Catholic) Church of the Virgin Mary (Brooklyn). Particulars to follow.