We, the Pax Christi International community, write today to express our deep and abiding commitment to stand in solidarity with you, the faithful Christian communities of the Holy Land. We offer our hands and hearts in support of your struggle to achieve a just and lasting peace. And, of course, we pray that you continue to find strength and encouragement during these most difficult days.

We, the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches of Jerusalem, stand aghast at the sight of the devastating and shockingly perplexing explosion that took place at the Beirut port on August 4th. The loss of life, injuries, and destruction cause our hearts to deeply ache as we mourn for this tragedy. We stand with the people of Beirut and Lebanon as they mourn, lament and respond to this catastrophe.

We are following with great concern and sorrow the news about the explosion that hit Beirut Port yesterday evening, on August 4th, which resulted in tens of deaths and thousands of injuries. We raise our prayers for the souls of the deceased and for recovery of the injured.

During the weekly General Audience on Wednesday, Pope Francis prayed for Lebanon in the aftermath of the explosion in Beirut on Tuesday. "Yesterday in Beirut, near the port, there were massive explosions causing dozens of deaths, wounding thousands and causing serious destruction", said the Pope.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.(1) At the beginning of this blessed fast of the Virgin, I address all of you with the most fervent greetings, praying that God may protect you and grant you success. We lift our eyes to our Mother the Virgin Mary, beseeching her to intercede to her Son that He may show compassion to the world and have mercy on us. We entreat her to embalm the wounds of us all, asking for her intercessions for the sorrowful, the grieving, the sick, the imprisoned, the missing, the kidnapped, and anyone in distress, grief, and tribulation.

which consists of changing the status of Hagia Sophia and to stop any action that will cause divisions

Mr. President, on 10 July 2020, the Turkish Council of State had decreed that the Hagia Sophia can only be used as a mosque and not for any other purpose. On the same day you issued a presidential decree ordering Hagia Sophia to be opened for Muslim prayers, which are planned to commence on July 24. Today we approach you to express our grave concern about the dangerous impact that this change of the status of the Hagia Sophia will have.

The Evangelical Middle East Commission (EMOK) criticises President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s order to convert Hagia Sophia into a mosque as a backward-looking step that does great harm to Christian-Islamic relations worldwide. Originally built in the 4th century, Hagia Sophia still retains its 6th century appearance. Until 1453 it was regarded as the most important church in the whole Orthodox world.

On July 9, 2020, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II visited His Beatitude John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, at the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Damascus. His Holiness was accompanied by His Eminence Archbishop Mor Timotheos Matta Al-Khoury, Patriarchal Vicar in the Patriarchal Archdiocese of Damascus, and Very Rev. Raban Joseph Bali, Patriarchal Secretary and Media Office Director.

Under the theme “Creative Solidarity in Common Fragility,” people of faith all over the world are encouraged to demonstrate the power of prayer during the World Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel. This special week of prayer coupled with action is annually held 13 – 21 September and includes the International Day of Peace on 21 September.

On the second Sunday in July the International Day of the Sea is observed. Recalling the celebration at the Sunday Angelus, Pope Francis extended “an affectionate greeting to all those who work at sea, especially those who are far from their loved ones and their country.” He also had a particular greeting for those who gathered on Sunday morning in the Italian port of Civitavecchia-Tarquinia for the celebration of the Eucharist.

On Wednesday, June 25/ July 24, 2020, H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos stated the following regarding the keeping of the Status of the Church of Hagia Spophia: It is with utmost seriousness that We express Our concern over recent calls from members of the Turkish government to alter the current status of the Hagia Sophia from a museum to a mosque. This magnificent Byzantine Church structure, which captivates the world until today, has a history stretching even farther back into Christendom than the 6th century.

Former heads of Churches in Jerusalem issued a statement dated June 15, 2020 on the Israeli annexation plans, namely Patriarch Emeritus of the Roman Catholic Church Michael Sabbah, Bishop Emeritus of the Anglican Church Riah Abu El Assal, and Bishop Emeritus of the Lutheran Church Munib A. Younan.

(Bonn, June 19th 2020) Since the Israeli government has announced plans to annex parts of the West Bank from first of July 2020, the chairman of the Commission of World Church Affairs of the German Bishops' Conference, Archbishop Dr Ludwig Schick (Bamberg), and the chairman of the working group “Near and Middle East”, Auxiliary Bishop Dr Udo Bentz, have expressed their solidarity with the patriarchs and church leaders of Jerusalem.

Statement: We, as leaders of the world’s religious and spiritual traditions: Indigenous Spirituality, Zoroastrian, Jain, Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Jewish, Christian, Islamic, and Bahai, honor the World Refugee Day with our renewed commitment to advancing dignity for all, especially the need to actively care for the most vulnerable among us.

His Holiness Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, receives their Beatitudes: Youhanna X Yazigi, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and Youssef Absi, Greek-Melkite Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, in Damascus

On June 18, 2020, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II received their Beatitudes Patriarchs: John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and Joseph Absi, Greek Melkite Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, Alexandria and Jerusalem, at the Patriarchate Headquarters in Bab Touma, Damascus.

Jordan: Prayers resume in Churches amid precautionary measures

Christians in Jordan have resumed praying in the Kingdom's churches after a three-month hiatus, since mid-March 2020, which aimed at stemming the spread of COVID-19. On Sunday, June 7, Holy Masses were celebrated in various churches in the Kingdom.

Pentecost: Pope to resume Regina Coeli in St. Peter's Square

The Holy See Press Office said on Tuesday that the Pope will celebrate the solemnity of Pentecost on Sunday at 10am local time from St Peter’s Basilica. Immediately afterwards, at 12.00 noon, Pope Francis will resume the recitation of the Regina Coeli prayer with the faithful from the window of his private study overlooking St. Peter's Square.

Church of Holy Sepulchre reopens to faithful under safety guidelines

Following the evolvement of the situation in the Holy Land, we the Heads of the Three Communities, custodians of the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre and Resurrection, wish to inform that starting on Sunday 24, 2020, this most Holy Place will be accessible again to the faithful for visits and prayers. For safety reasons and in order to avoid the risk of a new spread of the COVID-19 infection, at the beginning the number will be limited to 50 persons.

The feast of the Appearance of the Sign of the Precious Cross in the Heavens at the Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem

On Wednesday, May 20, 2020 the Patriarchate celebrated the feast of the appearance of the sign of the Precious Cross in the Heavens.

Special Week and Anniversary Year to mark 5 years of “Laudato Si"

On Sunday, it will be exactly 5 years of this popular document, which has been a point of reference not only for the Church and Christians but also for governments, politicians, world bodies, including the United Nations, as well as environmental groups and movements worldwide.