Expert restoring ancient religious manuscripts Rajaa Rajha says, "First of all, making the paper saves money as it is hard to get it in Syria and has to be brought from other countries. Second, I cannot use the paper that is available in the market because it contains impurities. The material that is added to the manuscript should be acid-free. So I make paper that is safe for the manuscript."

The Procession of the icon of the Dormition of the Theotokos to Gethsemane took place at dawn on Wednesday 12/25 August 2021.

The ceremony was held according to the Typikon order of the Church of Jerusalem, and at 5:00 a.m. the Procession of the icon of the Dormition began from the Metochion of Gethsemane, opposite the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where it is kept all year round.

At the General Audience on Wednesday, His Holiness Pope Francis warns about a type of “formalism” which can lead to hypocrisy, and in turn threatens the unity of the Church.

By Christopher Wells

His Holiness Pope Francis continued his commentary on St Paul’s Letter to the Galatians at Wednesday’s General Audience, highlighting the dangers of a purely formal adherence to the Law.

On August 24, 2021, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, received the Head of the High Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon, Rev. Dr. Joseph Kassab, at the Patriarchate Headquarters in Bab Touma – Damascus, Syria.

Rev. Samuel Hanna, Vice President of the High Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon, Rev. Boutros Zaour, Pastor of the Evangelical Church of Damascus, and Rev. Ibrahim Nseir, Head of the Evangelical Synod of Aleppo, accompanied Rev. Kassab in his visit.

The Global Catholic Pact on the Family will involve Catholic universities of the five continents and will be presented at the end of the World Meeting of Families in 2022.

By Vatican News staff reporter

The Vatican has launched the process of creating a Catholic Global Compact on the Family, a shared programme of actions for promoting the family throughout the world in light of the Social Doctrine of the Church.

On Thursday, 6/19 August 2021, the Feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ was celebrated by the Jerusalem Patriarchate at the Holy Monastery of the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor, the place where this event happened.

On this Feast, the Church follows the Gospel narrative by which before His Passion, our Lord Jesus Christ took Peter, James and John, His Disciples, and revealed to them the Glory of His Divinity, as much as it was possible for them to comprehend.

His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, presided over the Liturgy of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary in the Maryamiyah Cathedral in Damascus, Syria.

His Beatitude was concelebrated with Their Grace, the Right Reverend Bishops Moussa El-Khoury, Efraim Malouli and John Batash, as well as a number of priests and deacons.

The Divine Liturgy was attended by the new Ambassador of Serbia, Mr. Radovan Stojanovic.

On August 15, 2021, on the occasion of the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, celebrated the Holy Qurobo at the Grotto of the Holy Zunoro at Mor Aphrem Monastery in Maarat Saydnaya, Syria.

His Holiness was assisted by His Eminence Archbishop Mor Yacoub Babawi, Patriarchal Vicar for Monks Affairs and the Administration of Mor Aphrem Theological Seminary in Maarat Saydnaya, in the presence of His Eminence Archbishop Mor Joseph Bali, Patriarchal Secretary and Media Office Director.

the Metropolitan of the Archdiocese of Akkar and its Dependencies, His Eminence, the Most Reverend Metropolitan Basilios (Manso)

Following the explosion that occurred in the town of Al-Tlal in Akkar, Lebanon, His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, contacted the Metropolitan of the Archdiocese of Akkar and its Dependencies, His Eminence, the Most Reverend Metropolitan Basilios (Mansour).

Baghdad, Iraq: 9-14 August 2021

His Beatitude Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako inaugurated the works of the Synod of the Chaldean Catholic Church in the patriarchal residence in Al-Mansour, Baghdad - Iraq, on the morning of Monday, 9 August 2021.

Bishops of the Chaldean 2021 Synod gathered in the patriarchal headquarters in Al-Mansour, Baghdad on Monday, August 9, 2021, to start with reciting morning prayers followed by celebrating the daily mass. At ten o’clock The opening session started with short prayer. Afterward, His Beatitude Patriarch of Babylon for the Chaldeans Cardinal Mar Louis Raphael Sako reviewed the Synod agenda and related letters received by the Patriarchate, followed by Patriarch Sako’s address after which the discussion continued throughout the morning.

On the first anniversary of a massive explosion in Beirut which claimed many lives and caused widespread destruction, His Holiness Pope Francis appeals for the Middle Eastern country of Lebanon, calling on the international community to provide “concrete assistance.”

By Vatican News staff reporter

His Holiness Pope Francis during his weekly General Audience appealed for what he called, “the beloved country of Lebanon.”

His Holiness Pope Francis releases the prayer intention for the month of August, inviting everyone to work for a transformation of the Church - a work that begins with “a reform of ourselves” through an experience of prayer, charity and service, inspired by the Holy Spirit.

By Benedict Mayaki, SJ

In his video message for his prayer intention for August, His Holiness Pope Francis reminds the faithful that “the vocation of the Church is evangelization,” and even more, “the Church’s identity is evangelization.”

The following is the Prayer of the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, His Beatitude Patriarch John X:

On this exact day last year, hearts were agitated by the tragedy at the port of Beirut. This tragedy ravaged our Lebanese reality and took away our loved ones. Today, we pray to the Father of lights, for Him to admit them to His heavenly light, to anoint them with the kindness of His mercy, and to soothe the hearts of their families with condolences.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. One God. Amen. May His grace and mercy rest upon us, from now and forevermore. Amen.
Sermon Highlights:
~ 4 main reasons why we rejoice
~ St. Paul: Before and after Christ – all our past credentials become meaningless
~ 3 ways to attain personal, experiential knowledge of Christ
~ Our only goal and single purpose: to Know Him.

His Holiness Catholicos of Cilicia Aram I is invited as a keynote speaker at the G20 Interfaith Forum. HH Catholicos Aram I will speak about: “The role of religious leaders and institutions in responding to crisis in the Arab Region”.

The G20 Interfaith Forum will take place between September 12-14, 2021 in Bologna, Italy.

JORDAN – On Tuesday, July 27, 2021, the World Heritage Committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), voted to inscribe the Jordanian city of Salt (As-Salt) as “the Place of Tolerance and Urban Hospitality”, on the World Heritage List. Salt is home to the first Latin Patriarchate parish that was established in Jordan by Patriarch Vincent Bracco in 1866.

In his homily on the first World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly, His Holiness Pope Francis insists on the importance of young and old coming together in a covenantal sharing of life.

By Christopher Wells

As the Church marked the first World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, celebrated Holy Mass in the Basilica of St Peter, standing in for His Holiness Pope Francis, who is still recovering from surgery.

His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, participated in the Divine liturgy on Sunday, July 25, 2021, in the Patriarchal Monastery of Our Lady of Balamand (Lebanon). At the end of the Liturgy, he addressed the faithful by saying: “Dearly Beloved, after the event that took place yesterday here in Balamand, I mean the commencement ceremony of our university students at the end of this academic year, we must give it further attention, for it is not an ordinary event for us, the members of the Orthodox Church, and for Lebanon in general.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. One God. Amen. May His grace and mercy rest upon us, from now and forevermore. Amen.
Sermon Highlights:
Lessons we learn:
~ Spend more time focusing on what is positive (as St. Paul spent more time speaking about Timothy and Epaphroditus, faithful disciples)
~ Contemplate the relationship between true joy and humility, obedience to God, and discipleship
A Quick Review
Two weeks ago we began a series contemplating joy, through a study of St. Paul the apostle’s Letter to the Philippians; a letter characterized by its message or spirit of joy.