His Holiness Pope Francis has released a video message on the occasion of the World Day of Prayer and Reflection against Human Trafficking, marked in the Catholic Church on the feast of St Josephine Bakhita, 8 Feb.

By Vatican News staff reporter

His Holiness Pope Francis is urging all to join the fight against the scourge of trafficking in women and girls saying it is violence.

Live painting as a portrayal of tolerance and peaceful coexistence. This was the concept behind a session organised by the Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence in collaboration with "We Love Art" in the Emirati pavilion at the Dubai 2020 Expo.

It is one of many events taking place during a Festival organised by the Ministry and the High Commission of Human Fraternity in the lead up to International Day of Human Fraternity, marked on 4 February.

His Eminence Grand Imam Ahmad Al-Tayeb of Al-Azhar releases a message on the occasion of International Day of Human Fraternity, expressing optimism for efforts for a better world despite the pandemic and other ills.

By Robin Gomes

One of the most respected and influential authorities in Islam has expressed hope that the world’s races, religions and leaders will unite in solidarity and fraternity to help create a better world, overcoming the crises created by the ongoing pandemic and by human selfishness.

His Holiness Pope Francis releases a video message to mark the 2nd International Day of Human Fraternity, and urges all people to trod the difficult path of fraternity in order to overcome the prejudices and conflicts that divide humanity.

By Devin Watkins

The International Day of Human Fraternity was set up by the UN General Assembly to commemorate the signing of the Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together by His Holiness Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed Al-Tayyeb, in Abu Dhabi on 4 February 2019.

Between January 26th and 28th, 2022, the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches was held online. On behalf of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia Bishop Magar Ashkarian and V. Rev. Boghos Tinkjian (co-secretary) participated in the Dialogue.

His Holiness Pope Francis releases his prayer intention for the month of February, and invites Catholics to pray for religious sisters and consecrated women as they continue in their mission with courage.

By Devin Watkins

“What would the Church be without religious sisters and consecrated laywomen? The Church cannot be understood without them.”

His Holiness Pope Francis made that affirmation in his February prayer intention, released on Tuesday by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network.

On 29 January 2022, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, consecrated St. James of Sarug Church in California.

On Monday, January 24th, 2022, a gathering of the Cilician Brotherhood residing in Antelias was held in the main hall of the Armenian Catholicosate in Antelias, presided by His Holiness Catholicos of Cilicia Aram I.

During the gathering, His Holiness Aram I informed the brotherhood on the activities and events to take place within the proclamation of 2022 as the year of the Armenian Diaspora.

JERUSALEM - As life resumes in Jerusalem after the snowfall on Wednesday, January 26th 2022, His Beatitude Mgr Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, visited the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem for the traditional exchange of greetings after the Christmas season.

On the calendar, the Armenians celebrate Christmas on January 19th. In keeping with the now well-established tradition, His Beatitude Mgr Pizzaballa thus visited the Armenian Patriarchate.

Declaration of His Holiness Catholicos Aram I Holy See of Cilicia

To the Prelates,
The Clergy,
The Community Leaders
of the Great House of Cilicia,
and to the daughters and sons
of our people,

On the eve of 2022, from the Mother Monastery of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia in Antelias, Lebanon, we greet and bless the National General Assembly, the Religious and Executive Councils of the National Central Committee, the Brotherhood, the Prelates and the Community Leaders, and every union, organization and educational, cultural, and charitable structure that operates in our national life, as well as the beloved daughters and sons of our people.

JERUSALEM - On Thursday, January 27, for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, a prayer was celebrated at the Cenacle by Fr. Nikodemus C. Schnabel, and in the presence of His Beatitude Mgr Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem.

Every day, from Saturday, January 22 to Sunday, January 30, Christians from all walks of life are invited to gather in a different place to pray for the unity of the Church.

His Eminence Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher's visit to Beirut will take place from January 31 to February 4, and includes meetings with political and religious authorities to mark 75 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Holy See and Lebanon, the nation faces a deep social, political and economic crisis.

“Ecumenism in a Time of Pandemic: From Crisis to Opportunity” is the title of a working document presented by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, and which is the result of a survey conducted in 2021 among all the Bishops' Conferences and Eastern Catholic Synods in the world.

THE Lebanese are hoping that in 2022 there will be a change in the country’s fortunes after several years of worsening economic, social, and political chaos. So far, however, there are no signs of the turnaround that the country is longing for.

Lebanese Christians are counting on support in the form of prayers from the worldwide Church in the current Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, organised by the World Council of Churches (WCC). Significantly, the Beirut-based Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) has been the convener of this year’s Week of Prayer.

L’œcuménisme est le rachat d’une rupture. Il n’existe que pour répondre à la prière sacerdotale du Christ : « Qu’ils soient un », et s’effacer. Le sujet particulièrement délicat de l’unité de l’Église se prête souvent aux discours polis de la bienséance. Ce n’est pas celui qu’a choisi le patriarche des arméniens-catholiques, Raphaël Bedros XXI Minassian pour en parler, hier soir (dimanche 16 Janvier 2022), lors de l’ouverture de la Semaine de prière en la cathédrale des Saints-Élie-et-Grégoire, place Debbas, à Beyrouth.

In his Message for the World Day of Social Communications, His Holiness Pope Francis says listening is an indispensable first step in human communication, and a dimension of love.

By Christopher Wells

After focusing last year on seeing reality and conveying it to others, His Holiness Pope Francis in his 2022 Message for the World Communications Day emphasized the quality of listening, which he said “is decisive in the grammar of communication and is a condition for genuine dialogue.”

A conference on the themes of the Synod desired by the Pope is scheduled for March 15-17. Representatives from the dioceses, the Roman Curia, local and international charitable organisations will be present. Maronite Archbishop of Damascus: an opportunity "to rediscover our mission". The exodus of young people abroad shrinking an already tiny Christian minority.

On Wednesday 6/19 January 2022, the Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem celebrated the Despotic feast of Theophany according to the Status Quo.

On the morning of the feast, the Service of the Sanctification of the water was observed at the Catholicon of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre by His Beatitude Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III…

His Holiness Pope Francis urges the journalists of The Holy Land Review to tell the world the story of fraternity among Christians and among all the children of Abraham.

By Devin Watkins

A group of around 50 journalists from The Holy Land Review, accompanied by Fr. Francesco Patton, OFM, the Custos of the Holy Land, met the Pope for a private audience on Monday 17 January 2022, morning.

HOLY LAND – During his pastoral visit to Jordan, His Beatitude Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, spoke about the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which opened on January 22nd and will end on January 30th.

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which was established in 1908, was first called the Octave of Christian Unity. It was renamed "Universal Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in 1935, at the initiative of Fr. Paul Couturiers, a French priest later called the “father of spiritual ecumenism”.