The church court said the decision to expel him was taken in his absence after he failed to attend despite being summoned three times.
A side panel of the icon includes a depiction of the Georgian-born Stalin - an avowed atheist who violently repressed religion across the Soviet Union - being blessed by St Matrona of Moscow.
The open letter, forwarded to the office of SA’s Justice Minister Ronald Lamola, who is representing SA’s case in the Hague, called SA’s court move “fundamentally flawed.”
The war has also reawakened a thirst for Israel among the younger population of Christians, as well, Moore said.
They also condemn the government for failing to condemn Hamas's actions in Gaza.
"The Israel-Hamas war has given us as Christians tremendous moral clarity," said Robert Nicholson, president of the Philos Project and co-founder of Passages.
Armenian Christians celebrate the holiday on January 6. However, Armenians in Jerusalem will celebrate Christmas from January 18-19.
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