Pope Francis renews his appeal for an end to Syria’s decade-long civil war, as the people of the Middle Eastern nation struggle to survive.

Each year, the Church takes up a collection on Good Friday to assist Christians in the Holy Land and help protect the Holy Places. In a letter addressed to the Bishops of the world, the Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches calls on all Christians to offer their generous support to this year’s initiative.

On Wednesday, March 10th, 2021, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I presided over the Mid-Lent Sunrise Service and delivered his message at St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in Antelias.

On Tuesday 9 March 2021, His Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos had a pastoral telecommunication through zoom with His Eminence Archbishop Christophoros of Kyriakoupolis and the Clergy of Jordan.

HAIFA - The Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land held their ordinary plenary assembly in Haifa at the Stella Maris Pilgrims Center, as guests of Carmelite Fathers on March 2-3, 2021. Many members were present in person, others were connected via Skype, while others in unity by offering their physical sufferings or the difficulties of isolation for the success of the work of the assembly.

By the mercy of God Almighty

John X

Patriarch of Antioch and All the East

to My brothers, Pastors of the Holy Church of Antioch

My sons and daughters, all over this Apostolic See

Beloved spiritual Brethren and Children,

At the beginning of Forty-Day Lent, we bow the knees of the soul before the Benevolent Creator. We shed tears of repentance, asking for His saints’ intercession and the succor of the Virgin Mary. We say in unison these words: “Lord, O Lord open unto us the door of Thy Mercy.”

Speaking to journalists aboard the papal flight bringing him back to Rome after his historic visit to Iraq, Pope Francis looks back at some of the most salient milestones of the Apostolic Journey.

Pope Francis concludes his Apostolic Journey to Iraq that took him to 6 cities and sites in the north and south of the country. He comforted the people, especially Catholics and Christians, harshly tried by sectarian violence and terrorism, and appealed for tolerance, fraternity, hope and peace.

In a tweet on Saturday, Iraq's Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi announces that 6 March will become a "National Day of Tolerance and Coexistence" in Iraq. The announcement came after Pope Francis' meeting with Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani, which Cardinal Miguel Ayuso has praised as an historic encounter.

Pope Francis meets with bishops, clergy and religious in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Salvation in Baghdad, stressing the importance of sowing seeds of reconciliation and fraternal coexistence that can lead to a rebirth of hope for everyone.

Pope Francis gives his first speech on Iraqi soil on Friday to authorities, civil servants, and diplomats, and indicates the path toward a genuine recovery of the nation following years of conflict and terrorism.

The KAICIID-Supported Interreligious Platform for Dialogue and Cooperation in the Arab World (IPDC) commends and endorses the historic visit of Pope Francis to Iraq on 5-8 March 2021, which the platform believes will have a substantial impact on the future prospects for peaceful coexistence in that country and further afield.

Pope Francis sends a video message to the people of Iraq, to share a message of peace, fraternity and comfort, as he prepares for his Apostolic Visit which begins on Friday.

In the run-up to Pope Francis’ Apostolic Visit to Iraq, he asks the faithful to accompany his journey with prayers so it may bear fruit for the Middle Eastern nation. The journey is scheduled to take place from 5 to 8 March.

HOLY LAND - On Tuesday, March 2, 2021, the Assembly of the Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land will preside over an intercessory prayer to Our Lady of Mount Carmel in time of Coronavirus, at the Shrine of Our Lady (Stella Maris) at 6:00 pm. The prayer will be animated by the parish choirs (Melkite, Latin and Maronite) and recorded by the Christian Media Center, which will broadcast on Thursday, March 4.

This morning, the Divine Liturgy was held in the Monastery of Our Lady of Balamand, at the end of which, Patriarch John X shared the following message:

“Saint Paul the Apostle addresses us all, saying: “All things are lawful to me, but all things are not profitable: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.”

Our Orthodox unity is our daily prayer

My dear Brothers, fellow Primates and Concelebrants in the Lord Jesus Christ,

One year ago this week, we gathered in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to build our common fellowship in the pursuit of a dialogue of love for the sake of the unity of the Local Orthodox Churches.

In a letter addressed to Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, President of the Pontifical Academy for Life, Pope Francis remembers doctors, nurses and other healthcare personnel who have died in the performance of their duties during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Fasting is a biblical tradition that appeared in the two covenants, but it is also a practice that developed and varied according to time and place. I will not dwell in detail on fasting from a biblical point of view, its spirituality and its meanings, because the aim of this presentation is to provide a comprehensive and short panoramic view of the "methods of fasting and their development throughout history" since Judaism to early Christianity and even the Latin Church in our contemporary times. If we turn to the Bible, it is only to clarify this aspect.

International partners working to achieve equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines appealed on Wednesday for the UN Security Council to ensure people caught in conflict have access to these lifesaving treatments.