On Sunday 23 August / 5 September 2021 the Dormition Icon of the Theotokos was returned to the Metochion of Gethsemane in a Procession from the Shrine of Theotokos’ Tomb, with the completion of nine days after the Feast of Dormition.

For this feast, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated at Gethsemane by the Master of Ceremonies Archimandrite Bartholomew and the Ministering Priests of the Shrine.

For more than a year, we have all experienced the devastating effects of a global pandemic—all of us, whether poor or wealthy, weak or strong. Some were more protected or vulnerable than others, but the rapidly-spreading infection meant that we have depended on each other in our efforts to stay safe. We realised that, in facing this worldwide calamity, no one is safe until everyone is safe, that our actions really do affect one another, and that what we do today affects what happens tomorrow.

His Holiness Pope Francis releases his prayer intention for the month of September, and invites us to pray that everyone might make choices which promote a simple and sustainable lifestyle.

By Devin Watkins

As the Church begins the annual Season of Creation on 1 September, His Holiness Pope Francis is inviting everyone to pray for “an environmentally sustainable lifestyle”.

Syria’s first seminary has opened in Damascus by the Syrian Catholic Mergita Church, Dean Rajin (Father Youssef Lajin) mentioned the academy’s “open to everyone” and “service” purpose. He said that the Holy See’s nuncio to Syria is also deeply pleased with their pioneering work, saying that this seminary is a new thing in Syria. 90 per cent of Syria’s population is Muslim, and a very small number of Christians are constantly exodus.

On Saturday, 15/28 August 2021, the Patriarchate celebrated the feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos in Gethsemane at the Holy Church with the Tomb of the Mother of God.

On this feast, the Church reminds the faithful of our faith that the Theotokos conceived from the Holy Spirit and bore in the flesh our Lord Jesus Christ, she died and was buried in Gethsemane, but was translated by the hands of her Son in the heavens and her immaculate body was preserved.

BETHLEHEM - The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and Bethlehem University have signed two agreements. The first one involves the implementation of a project to increase the skills of young people and create job opportunities in the parishes of the Latin Patriarchate and in some parishes of the Custody of the Holy Land in the West Bank.

On Tuesday, August 31st, 2021, a consultation meeting on humanitarian assistance to our community in Lebanon was held between H.E. Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian - Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy of the USA, H.G. Bishop Torkom Donoyan – Prelate of the Western Prelacy of the USA, and H.E. Archbishop Shaheh Panossian - Prelate of Lebanon, in the presence of His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, at St. Mary Monastery, in Bikfaya, Lebanon.

On August 29, 2021, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, celebrated the Holy Qurobo for the first time in Budapest.

He was assisted by his Eminence Mor Timotheos Matta Al-Khoury, Archbishop of Homs, Hama, Tartous and Environs, in the presence of His Eminence Mor Joseph Bali, Patriarchal Secretary and Media Office Director. The Qurobo was attended by a small group of faithful due to the COVID-19 restrictions.

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.”