Following a long-standing tradition, a delegation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople is in Rome this week to help build unity between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches.

By Vatican News staff reporter

The Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity released a statement on Monday to announce the visit of an official delegation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople to Rome on 28-30 June.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, and a number of church pontiffs beautified the Relics of St. Isidoros, the priest of Al-Qalali and the strong St. Mosis in St. Virgin Mary’s Monastery (Al-Bramous) in Wadi El-Natrun.
The church celebrates on Friday, Paoni 25th / July 1st, the memorial of the martyrdom of the strong St. Mosis, who was martyred in 407 AD, and it also celebrates on the same day.

The Vatican reveals the official Logo of the upcoming Jubilee Year due to be held in 2025 on the theme 'Pilgrims of Hope' and reflects on some of the Holy Year's early initiatives and plans.

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

The official Logo of the upcoming Jubilee due to be held in 2025 has been unveiled.

In a press conference held on Tuesday in the Sala Regia of the Vatican's Apostolic Palace, the Vatican revealed the official Logo for the upcoming Jubilee year.

At Mass to celebrate the feast of Sts Peter and Paul, Pope Francis blesses the pallia for new Metropolitan Archbishops, and reminds the faithful that the Church is called to “get up quickly” and “fight the good fight.”

By Christopher Wells

Pope Francis blessed the pallia for the new Metropolitan Archbishops on the feast of Sts Peter and Paul, and presided at the Mass for the Solemnity, which was celebrated by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals.

To know Jesus is the deep desire not only of those here among us who have chosen religious life, but – in different forms and ways – also of every believer. It is the basis of every choice. Or at least it should be. And if you are here today to receive the priestly ordination, the underlying reason is Him alone, "the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Mt 16:16), who is to be followed and served.

Today's Gospel passage questions us by suggesting an implicit but fundamental question, "What does it mean to know Jesus? How do we know Him?"

On Monday, 14/27 June 2022 the Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalme celebrated the feast of the Holy Prophet Elisha.

On this feast, the Church commemorates the events written in the Book of Kings in the Old Testament, according to which the Prophet Elisha came from Jericho and left his profession when Prophet Elijah called him. He offered a feast to the people with the twelve pairs of oxen he used on his farm, followed Prophet Elijah and became a benefactor for the people of the Jordan district through the signs and miracles that God deemed him worthy to work.

The eighteenth meeting of the International Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches took place in Rome from June 20-24, 2022 and was hosted by the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity.

‏It was chaired jointly by His Eminence Cardinal Kurt Koch, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, and by His Grace Bishop Kyrillos, Coptic Orthodox Auxiliary Bishop in the Diocese of Los Angeles, California, USA.

GAZA - Twice a year, His Beatitude Patriarch Mgr Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, visits Gaza to meet the Christian community. This time, he came accompanied by Fr. Davide Meli, Chancellor of the Patriarchate, Fr. Carlos Ferrero, IVE, and Abdallah Dababneh, who studies at the Patriarchal seminary.

Five days across the Gaza Strip. Between visits, meetings, inaugurations and convivial times, the program of the Patriarch and his delegation was full. Two afternoons and one morning were entirely dedicated to visits to Christian families: a dozen of them were able to receive Mgr Pizzaballa in their homes to meet him in person and to take a moment to discuss.

On June 20th to 24th, 2022, the 18th Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches was held at the Vatican. On behalf of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, H.G. Bishop Magar Ashkarian and V. Rev. Fr. Boghos Tinkjian (co-secretary) participated in the meeting.

Participants finalized the document on the seven sacraments of the church and started the discussion on Mariology, which will continue at the next meeting.

On June 26, 2022, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, presided over the Holy Qurobo celebrated by their Eminences Archbishops: Mor Severus Roger Akhrass, Patriarchal Vicar for Syriac Studies, and Mor Joseph Bali, Patriarchal Secretary and Media Office Director, at St. Severius Church in the Patriarchal Residence in Atchaneh - Lebanon.

BETHLEHEM - This year, it was Mgr William Shomali, General Vicar of the Latin Patriarchate, who presided over the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Salesian Church in Bethlehem, on Saturday, June 24th, 2022. Participants included the Salesian Fathers, scouts and a crowd of faithful.

On Saturday 12/25 June 2022, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem celebrated the feast of Saint Onuphrius the Egyptian.

On this day the Church commemorates that Saint Onuphrius lived initially in a Coenobitic Monastery in Hermoupolis. Then, imitating the Prophet Elijah and Saint John the Baptist, he retreated to the deepest desert and lived in strict ascesis for sixty years (without seeing any other man). At the end of his life, he met with Saint Pafnutios. When the Saint slept in the Lord, “his shed collapsed, the palm tree withered and the spring of water from which he used to drink dried up”.

The commemoration of Saint Onuphrius was celebrated at the Holy Monastery dedicated to him near Siloan’s pool, at the Potter’s field which the Pharisees bought with the thirty silver coins Judas returned to them, “to bury the foreigners”.

Following is the text of the article written by His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Mar Louis Raphaël Sako, Chaldean Patriarch in Iraq and the World, in which he analyzes the problems facing Christian Iraqis and the future opportunities awaiting them:

In light of the current situation, prevailing chronic political “blockage” as well as retreat on several levels and facing the rise of patriotic and honest voices from all around; the last of which was the cry of the Iraqi activist, Ms. Hana Adwar, in her meeting with the UN representative in Iraq, I would like to present here a reading of the political map of Iraq Today, and the “actual life” of Christians in it, while pursuing the future opportunities for Iraq and its citizens.

On Saturday 25 June 2022, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, inaugurated the Saint Mark Conference House in the Orabi area, across from the Diocese of Shubra El-Khaymah. Along with H.E. Metropolitan Marcos, Metropolitan of Shubra El-Khaymah, and a number of Church’s pontiffs, Major General Abdul Hamid Al-Hagan, Governor of Qalyubia, the governorate’s leaders, the Engineering Authority of the Armed Forces, and the National Center for Planning State Lands also attended the inauguration.

At the conclusion of the X World Day of Families, Pope Francis invites families to “announce the beauty of being family with joy!”

By Christopher Wells

Pope Francis has a mission for Catholic families: “Proclaim the beaty of being family with joy! Proclaim the grace of Christian marriage to children and young people.”

The Holy Father addressed his “missionary mandate” especially to participants in the tenth World Meeting of Families, which concluded Saturday night with a joyful Eucharistic liturgy celebrated by Cardinal Kevin Farrell in St Peter’s Square.

His Holiness Pope Francis addresses representatives of ROACO, a church organization providing aid and assistance to Christians across the Middle East, and invites them to not stop praying, fasting, helping, and working so that the paths of peace may find space in the jungle of conflicts.

By Linda Bordoni

His Holiness Pope Francis did not neglect to issue yet another appeal for war-stricken Ukraine on Thursday 23 June 2022, calling for prayers, fasting, and work “so that the paths of peace may find space in the jungle of conflicts.”

Pope Francis on Thursday received in audience the members of the International Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches.

In his address, the Pope thanked the Commission for its precious work which has allowed substantial progress in the dialogue process towards a full communion.

He greeted, in particular, its latest achievements in the discussion on the Sacraments which, he said, "could mark a new step forward" towards this goal.

On Thursday evening, June 16, 2022, a delegation from the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, led by His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, met with Father Francesco Patton, head of the Franciscans Custody of the Holy Land, and Archbishop Sevan Gharibian, on behalf of the Armenian Patriarchate, to pay closer inspection of the undergoing archaeological works for the floors of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, that are being carried out by the Sapienza University of Rome.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, delivered his weekly sermon in the meeting of Wednesday 22 June 2022, from St. Mark’s Cathedral in Alexandria, in Egypt; in the presents of a number of church’s pontiffs, the sermon was also broadcast on Christian satellite channels, The Official Website of the Coptic Orthodox Church and C.O.C channel of the Church’s media center on the Internet.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II continued the new educational series, “The Concept of the Marriage Union” as a basis for building a holy Christian family, where he dealt with the fifth chapter of the Epistle of Saint Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians, which is read in the wreath prayers (the Sacred Sacrament of Marriage), and referred to the second concept of the marital union, which is emotional union.
His Holiness Pope Tawadros II began by explaining the journey of emotion in man from childhood to adolescence to youth, with the importance of the hidden and preserved emotion of “Keep yourself pure” (1 Timothy 5:22), through the five human needs:

The Central Committee of the World Council of Churches (WCC), the highest decision-making body of the WCC, convened in Geneva, Switzerland, from June 15th to the 18th. This is the first time the Central Committee has met in person since the beginning of the pandemic.

The plenary focused primarily on preparing for the 11th WCC Assembly, which will take place in September of this year, in Karlsruhe, Germany, under the theme “Christ’s love moves the world to reconciliation and unity.”