The Holy See Press Office releases the programme of His Holiness Pope Francis’ journey to Cyprus and Greece scheduled from 2 to 6 December.

Vatican News staff writer

His Holiness Pope Francis will be travelling to Cyprus and Greece from 2 to 6 December, embarking on his next international apostolic journey to the two nations.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, gave his weekly Wednesday sermon last Wednesday evening, from the Papal Headquarters in Cairo, Egypt. The sermon was broadcast live on several Christian satellite television channels, as well as over the Internet on the Church’s Coptic Media Center channel, COC. The sermon was given in the absence of a live congregation.

The Anglican–Oriental Orthodox International Commission held its yearly gathering virtually, from October 26th to the 28th, 2021. The members of the commission shared their reports and updates. The meeting focused mainly on continuing the work on the draft of the current working document of the commission, entitled “The Inheritance of Ecumenical Councils in the Church.”

On Monday, November 1st, 2021, His Holiness Catholicos of Cilicia Aram I received the acting General Secretary of the World Council of Churches Dr. Ion Sauca, in Geneva. In attendance was Prof. Teny Pirri-Simonian, the Catholicosate’s Ecumenical Representative in Switzerland.

His Holiness Pope Francis will visit the Cypriot capital of Nicosia on 2-4 December, before traveling to the Greek capital, Athens, and the island of Lesbos.

His Holiness Pope Francis releases his prayer intention for the month of November, and invites everyone to pray for and be near those who suffer from exhaustion, burn-out, and depression.

On the Evangelical Reformation anniversary, the Evangelical Churches in Lebanon celebrated the 504th Reformation Sunday during a Prayer service entitled “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines… yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior”. The Prayer was held on Sunday, October 31, 2021, in the National Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Rabieh, with the presence of the President of the Supreme Council of the Evangelical Community in Lebanon and Syria Reverend Joseph Kassab.

His Holiness Pope Francis' speech is delivered by Cardinal Pietro Parolin in Glasgow, where he stresses the need for action from all to save the planet and those suffering the most from the climate emergency.

ABU DHABI - The plenary meeting of the Conference of Latin Bishops in the Arab Regions (CELRA) took place at the parish center of Musaffah in Abu Dhabi on October 18-22, 2021. For most of the bishops who live alone and far from one another, the meeting was a significant time of simple and joyful fraternal collaboration.

On Saturday, October 30, the Catholic Church in the Holy Land officially opened the General Synod of the Universal Catholic Church: “A Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission Vademecum for the Synod on Synodality (2021-2023) with three main simultaneous Holy Masses celebrated in Jerusalem, Amman and Nicosia.

His Holiness Catholicos of Cilicia Aram I focused on the imperative of strengthening tolerance in the ecumenical dialogue in his article for the special volume dedicated to Christian-Muslim dialogue. The special edition volume is the initiative of the Argentinian State and brought to fruition by His Holiness Pope Francis.

His Beatitude Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East John X, received the Dean of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches in the Vatican Cardinal Leonardo Sandri at the Patriarchal Headquarters in Damascus, Syria, accompanied by the Pope’s representative to Syria, Cardinal Mario Zenari and Monsignor Flavio Bacchi.

Meeting with Syrian Bishops in Damascus, Cardinal Leonardo Sandri announced that the Holy Father will give a contribution to their charitable work for the most needy in the country. On the first day of his visit to Syria, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches also presided at a Divine Liturgy with Patriarch Youssef Absi, and met 100 youths.

On October 31, 2021, the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II celebrated the Holy Qurobo at St. Behnam and Sarah Church in Tours, France.

His holiness Pope Francis invites listeners during the BBC "Thought for the Day" radio column on Friday to join efforts for the protection of our common home through a renewed sense of shared responsibility and solidarity based on justice.

Sisters and Brothers, we gather today at this Shrine of Deir Rafat, on the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Palestine, to officially open the synodal journey in our Catholic dioceses of the Holy Land, in the broader context of the General Synod of the Catholic Church, inaugurated by the Holy Father Francis last October 9.

On Saturday 10/23 October 2021, by the blessing and guidance of His Holy Beatitude our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III, the first synaxis of the members of the Russian-speaking flock of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem in Ashdod, Holy Land, was officiated by His Eminence Archbishop Aristovoulos of Madaba.

Chaldean Patriarchate Media

In light of the current “tense” situation in Iraq, created by the elections, the Chaldean Bishops in Iraq, assembled under the Chairmanship of His Beatitude Patriarch of Babylon for the Chaldeans Cardinal Mar Louis Raphael Sako at the Summer Patriarchal Residence in Ankawa / Erbil, Iraq on Saturday morning, October 23, 2021 addressed an appeal.

On October 26, 2021, the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II visited His Eminence Anba Athanasius, Archbishop of the Coptic Orthodox Faithful of French origin, at his headquarters in Sarcelles, France.

On December 12, Caritas Internationalis will celebrate its 70th anniversary. Its General Secretary Aloysius John talks to the Vatican media about the importance of this anniversary and the most urgent challenges for the Caritas Confederation at the time of the pandemic.