The "Reasons for Our Hope" project, promoted by the Oasis International Foundation and the McGrath Institute for Church Life, aims to help Christians reach “a new understanding of their faith by taking Muslims' questions seriously.”

JERUSALEM - The Latin parish of Jerusalem celebrated on Monday, May 31, 2021, the conclusion of the Marian month, with a Holy Mass and a procession in the Old City of Jerusalem.

Present were Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Bishop Boulos Marcuzzo, Bishop Emeritus Kamal Bathish, Fr. Francesco Patton, Custos of the Holy Land…

“How many mothers and fathers go to sleep at night worrying that they will not have enough food to feed their families the next day: food for all.”

The Holy See’s final webinar, in a series of three, kicked off with those words of Pope Francis, recalled in a video launching the event held on Monday.

On Sunday, 17/30 May 2021, the Patriarchate celebrated the feast of the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman at the shrine of Jacob’s well in Nablus of Samaria.

On this feast, the whole Church and especially the Church of Jerusalem commemorates the meeting and the conversation of the Samaritan Woman from town Sychar with our Lord Jesus Christ, at Jacob’s well, when the Lord revealed her manner of living and told her He is the Messiah the Christ.

Le pape François a invité toute l’Église à réfléchir à une ère « post-COVID », à bâtir ensemble un monde différent et meilleur dans lequel personne n'est laissé pour compte. Pour y parvenir, ceux dont les souffrances sont les plus grandes, ceux qui sont confinés en marge de l'épanouissement humain et dont la voix est généralement ignorée doivent jouer un rôle actif et vigoureux dans la construction de ce monde à venir.

On Tuesday, May 25th, 2021, His Holiness Aram I received the following visitors and held the following meetings in Antelias:

A) Syriac Archbishop George Saliba. Archbishop Saliba extended an invitation on behalf of His Holiness Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II to His Holiness Aram I for the episcopal ordination of Syriac Orthodox bishops to be held at the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchal Residence in Atchaneh. Accompanying the Archbishop were the two prospective bishops.

In his video message for the launch of the Laudato si’ Platform on Tuesday, Pope Francis notes that "with the Encyclical Laudato si’, promulgated in 2015, I invited all people of good will to take care of the Earth, which is our common home."

This "house that hosts us" has been suffering for a long time, from "the wounds that we cause by our predatory attitude," laments the Pope.

JERUSALEM – On Saturday, May 22, 2021, H.B. Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, presided over Pentecost vigil prayer and intercession for justice and peace, which he had called for in the name of the Catholic Heads of Churches, and in collaboration with the Episcopal Committee for Male Religious, and the Union of the Women Religious. The vigil was held at the Basilica of Saint Stephen of the Dominican Fathers in Jerusalem.

A) On Friday, May 21st, 2021, His Holiness Aram I received a letter from His Holiness Pope Francis concerning a plan regarding the current situation in Lebanon.

B) On the passing of Dr. Soritua Nababan, His Holiness Aram I extended his condolences to the family of the deceased and the the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA).

On Monday, 11/24 May 2021, the Holy and Sacred Synod of Jerusalem Patriarchate met in an ordinary Session, chaired by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, and addressed pastoral and pilgrimage issues of the Patriarchate and made three decisions.

Pope Francis highlights the importance of fraternal love, forgiveness and Christian witness, in a video message for an ecumenical Pentecost Vigil in Jerusalem organized by CHARIS.

On Monday 11/24 May 2021, after the meeting of the Holy and Sacred Synod, H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, accompanied by the Members of the Synod, observed the Service of the Blessing of the Water at the new wing of the Patriarchate’s Archives building, which was funded by the Patriarchate.

On Monday, May 17th, 2021, the annual meeting of the Standing Committee of the Oriental Orthodox Churches in the Middle East was held online. Present to the meeting were Methropolitan Thomas, Metropolitan Angelos and Dr. Gerges Saleh from the Coptic Church, Metropolitan George Saliba and Metropolitan Daniel Kourieh from the Syriac Church, and Archbishop Sebouh Sarkisian and Bishop Magar Ashkarian from the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia.

On Thursday 7/20 May 2021, the Patriarchate celebrated the feast of the appearance of the sign of the Cross in the heavens.

On this feast, the Church, and especially the Church of Jerusalem commemorates that on 7 May in the year 351, the sign of the Cross appeared in dazzling light, radiating more than the sun rays, and was visible from the Horrendous Golgotha to the Mount of Olives. All the inhabitants of Jerusalem saw it and came out from their houses.

The Pope and the Holy See are "very concerned" about what is happening in the Holy Land where the escalation of violence between Israel and Hamas is continuing.

The Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, expressed his worries on Tuesday on the sidelines of an event to present a book dedicated to the former director of the Vatican’s L'Osservatore Romano newspaper, Mario Agnes, at the Italian embassy to the Holy See in Rome.

Pope Francis appealed “in the name of God” for calm in the Holy Land, after seven days of fighting that has left scores of people dead and hundreds more wounded.

The deaths of dozens of children among them are particularly “terrible and unacceptable," the Pope said. “Their death is a sign that people do not want to build the future, but to destroy it.”

We the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches of Jerusalem, are profoundly disheartened and concerned about the recent violent events in East Jerusalem. These concerning developments, whether at the Al Aqsa Mosque or in Sheikh Jarrah, violate the sanctity of the people of Jerusalem and of Jerusalem as the City of Peace.

There are none of the usual feeling of loss or abandonment among the disciples when Jesus ascended in the Heaven, said Pope Francis at Sunday’s Regina Coeli. Instead, “despite their separation from the Lord, they do not appear grief-stricken, but rather, are joyful and ready to go into the world as missionaries.”

Prayer for the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and Urgent Intercession for Justice and Peace

JERUSALEM - The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, in collaboration with the Episcopal Committee for Male Religious and the Union of the Women Religious, invite all the faithful, bishops, priests, men and women religious and laity to pray together on the eve of the Feast of Pentecost and at this time of trouble in Jerusalem and throughout the Holy Land.

Pope Francis holds up the heroic example of Blessed Rosario Livatino, an Italian judge murdered by the mafia, and urged judges to learn from his efforts to promote redemption through justice.