On Tuesday, July 27/ August 9, 2022, the Patriarchate celebrated the commemoration of the Holy glorious great martyr Panteleimon the healer, at the Holy Monastery dedicated to him on the south-west of the Patriarchate, near Jaffa Gate.

On this day the Church commemorates the life and martyrdom of Saint Panteleimon according to his synaxarion. The Saint was the son of the idolater Eustorgios and a Christian mother named Euvouli, who taught him the Holy Scriptures. Saint Panteleimon studied medicine and was named Panteleon initially, but Elder Ermolaos baptised him Panteleimon.

The Lambeth Conference, a gathering of the bishops of the World Anglican Communion, convened from July 26th to August 7th, 2022, at the invitation of Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. H.G. Bishop Magar Ashkarian participated in the conference on behalf of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia.

The conference takes place once every ten years. This year’s theme was “God’s Church for God’s World: walking, listening and witnessing together.” More than 1450 bishops gathered together to pray together, study the Bible, hear the struggles and joys that each bishop’s experience in their local contexts and address the issues facing the world.

His Holiness Pope Francis sends a video message to participants in a conference in Mexico, and urges “digital evangelizers” to reach out to people in digital spaces who have not yet encountered Christ.

By Devin Watkins

“The Lord knocks on the door to enter within us, but how many times He also knocks on the door inside for us to let Him out!”

His Holiness Pope Francis offered that consideration in a video message sent to young people taking part in the “Hechos 29”, or “Acts 29” event.

The international conference took place on 5-6 August in Monterrey, Mexico, and brought together “digital evangelizers”—Christians seeking to evangelize online and on social media—to encourage them to be active members of the Church in the digital space.

On August 7, 2022, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, celebrated the Holy Qurobo at Mor Gabriel Church in Ajaltoun, Lebanon, on the occasion of the Feast of Transfiguration and the Feast of Mor Gabriel.

He was assisted by their Eminences: Mor Theophilos George Saliba, Archbishop of Mount Lebanon and Tripoli, Mor Severus Roger Akhrass, Patriarchal Vicar for Syriac Studies. Their Eminences Archbishops: Mor Justinos Boulos Safar, Patriarchal Vicar in Zahleh and Beqaa, Mor Clemis Daniel Kourieh, Archbishop of Beirut, and Mor Joseph Bali, Patriarchal Secretary and Media Office Director, also attended the Holy Qurobo.

His Holiness Pope Francis releases his prayer intention for the month of August, urging special prayers for small businesses.

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

As August kicks off, His Holiness Pope Francis is calling on Catholics to pray for small and medium-sized businesses, so that "in the midst of economic and social crisis, they find ways to continue operating, and serving their communities.”

The Pope released his monthly prayer intention in a video prepared by the Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network.

For the final day of the March of the Franciscans, which takes place every year during summer, His Beatitude Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, presided over a Mass on top of Mount Tabor, Palestine, and met with the youth who participated in the event.

Eight days. It’s how long the 31st march of the Franciscans lasted this year, from July 27th to August 3rd. Starting in Rameh, the participants walked from Eilaboun to Nazareth, to finally reach Mount Tabor on the eighth day.

“This idea of a march to walk, pray and spend time together first started in Italy,” explains Fr. Mario Hadchiti, OFM, one of the organizers. “Since then, there have been marches here in the Holy Land, but also in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon… It originated from St Francis of Assisi’s Festa del Perdono (Feast for the forgiveness of the sins).”

His Holiness Pope Francis, during his weekly General Audience on Wednesday 3 August 2022, prays for the people of Lebanon as they mark the second anniversary of the Beirut Port Blast this 4 August.

By Vatican News staff reporter

During his weekly General Audience on Wednesday, His Holiness Pope Francis recalled the second anniversary of the devastating Beirut Port explosion.

Speaking to pilgrims gathered in the Paul VI Hall, the Pope said his thoughts went out to the families of the victims of the disastrous event and to the "dear Lebanese people."

On Tuesday, August 2nd, His Beatitude Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, presided over a Mass for the charismatic movement Rinnovamento nello Spirito Santo, in the church of Gethsemane, Jerusalem. The Mass was attended by the president of the association, Mr. Salvatore Martinez, the first layman ever appointed to this position.

Born in 1971 in Italy, approved ecclesiastically in 1996, the movement of Rinnovamento welcomes lay, religious, and consecrated people.

On Tuesday, 20 July/ 2 August 2022, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem celebrated the feast of the Prophet Elias from Thesbis.

On this feast, which has its origin in the Old Testament, in the books of Kings and in the New Testament, in the Gospels and in Saint James’ letter, Prophet Elias is commemorated as the incarnate angel, the prophets’ summit, the second forerunner of the coming of Christ, the one who casts out sickness and cleanses lepers, who sent down fire from heaven through his prayer and slaughtered the priests of Baal in the altar of Mount Carmel, the one who did not see death but was ascended into the heavens on a fiery chariot and threw down his mantle upon his disciple Elisaios, who walked on it and crossed the river Jordan.

On August 2, 2022, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, met the monks who are serving in the Archdioceses in Sweden, at the Holy Cross Monastery.

His Eminence Archbishop Mor Joseph Bali, Patriarchal Secretary and Media Office Director, attended the meeting.

The journalist Youssef Al-Husseini conducted a television interview with His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, which was broadcast on the evening of Sunday 31 July 2022, on Egyptian Channel One.

The interview included a variety of topics: national, spiritual, and social. It also included the memories and visions of His Holiness the Pope during the ten years he spent on the throne of St. Mark. His Holiness Pope Tawadros II also addressed the modern challenges and the Church’s vision to confront them.

In a question about the memories of His Holiness the Pope for the period from June 30 to July 3, His Holiness referred to the visit he and Dr Ahmed El-Tayeb made to the ousted President Mohamed Morsi…

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, inaugurated, on Saturday 30 July 2022 morning, the Church of the Holy Resurrection and the Virgin Mary in Al-Zahir district, Cairo, affiliated to the Jerusalem Association, and it is the seat of the Jerusalem See in Cairo.
His Holiness Pope Tawadros II had arrived at the church at seven o’clock morning and was received by His Eminence Metropolitan Antonius, Metropolitan of the Jerusalem and the Near East, and the priests of the church.
The choir of deacons recited the melody of welcoming the patriarch the moment His Holiness the Pope entered the Church, after which the inaugural Prayers began.

On Wednesday 27 July 2022 evening, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, delivered his weekly sermon of Wednesday meeting from the church of Transfiguration at the Papal Residence at Logos Center in the Monastery of St. Bishoy in Wadi El Natroun, Egypt. The sermon was broadcasted on the Official Coptic Website, the Christian satellite channels and the C.O.C channel of the Church’s Media Center on the Internet.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II completed the new educational series “Marriage Union” as a basis for building a holy Christian family, and how the blessing of the mystery of marriage is present in the family, and the importance of good dialogue, as he dealt with the third chapter of the Epistle of St. James the Apostle (James 3:1-12), as well as a verse from a book Proverbs “Well words are honey witness, sweet to the soul, and healing to the bones” (Proverbs 16:24),

By DN. Daron Halajian

Since the fourth century the Armenian Apostolic Church has celebrated the blessing of the Holy Muron, which embodies the material presence of the Holy Spirit within our Church. This holy oil is consecrated once every seven years and serves various sacramental functions. During the liturgical service, Muron from the previous consecration is mixed with the new, forming an unbreakable generational linkage that dates back to the time of St. Gregory the Illuminator.

Following this tradition, a rich liturgical proceeding commenced before the St. Gregory Illuminator Cathedral in Antelias, Lebanon on Friday July, 1, 2022. Faithful Armenians from all over the world made the pilgrimage to be present for the special occasion. The Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, His Holiness Aram I presided over the enchanting ceremony and was accompanied by Syriac Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II, as well as several bishops from the Cilician Brotherhood.

On July 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, inaugurated “Antioch Center for Human Capacities Development” in Old Damascus, Syria.

The inauguration was also attended by their Eminences Archbishops: Mor Dionysius Jean Kawak, Patriarchal Vicar for the Archdiocese of the Eastern United States of America, Mor Timotheos Matta Al-Khoury, Archbishop of Homs, Hama, Tartous and Environs, Mor Maurice Amsih, Archbishop of Jazeera and Euphrates, Mor Anthimos Jack Yakoub, Patriarchal Vicar for Youth Affairs and Christian Education, Mor Boutros Kassis, Patriarchal Assistant and Patriarchal Delegate to the Archdiocese of Aleppo, Mor Cyril Babi, Patriarchal Vicar in the Patriarchal Archdiocese of Damascus, Mor Joseph Bali, Patriarchal Secretary and Media Office Director. and Very Rev. Fr. Patrick, International Director of Barnabas Fund.

The Antioch Center provides a suitable space for the training and educational courses through professional mentors, advanced and modern technical equipment and illustrative and digital means. It aims at preparing a new generation of Syrian youth qualified with the latest scientific concepts and modern skills used globally in the administrative and financial fields.

To mark the feast of St James the Great, patron saint of Spain, His Beatitude Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, presided over a Mass in La Casa de Santiago (Mount of Olives), on Monday, July 25th, 2022. The Mass was attended by the Consul of Spain, Mr. Alfonso Lucini Mateo, his wife, as well as many Spanish members of different religious congregations and communities. The Mass was co-celebrated by Bishop Adolfo Tito Yllana, Apostolic Nuncio to the Holy Land, and Fr. Piotr Zelasko, Patriarchal Vicar of the Saint James Vicariate.

The ties between St James ("Santiago" in Spanish) and Spain are based on the belief that he preached the Gospel in Spain as well as in the Holy Land, and that he was buried at Santiago de Compostela (northwestern Spain) - the final destination of the Camino de Santiago (Way of St James) pilgrimage.

PALESTINE - Every summer, the Parishes of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem from all over the Holy Land organize summer camps for the youth. This year, during the month of July, lpj.org visited those in Palestine in order to meet the ones who, every single year, participate, benefit and contribute to them. An essential part of the life of the parishes, these camps are not only a means for the youth to spend time with friends; they also allow them to grow in faith and happiness, and to interact in a Christian environment.

On July 25, 2022, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, celebrated the Funeral Service of the late Archbishop Mor Gabriel Dahho, at St. Peter and St. Paul Cathedral in Mor Aphrem Monastery, Maarat Saydnaya, Syria.

He was assisted by their Eminences Archbishops: Mor Theophilos George Saliba, Archbishop of Mount Lebanon and Tripoli, Mor Justinos Boulos Safar, Patriarchal Vicar in Zahleh and Beqaa, Mor Dionysius John Kawak, Patriarchal Vicar in the Archdiocese of Eastern USA, Mor Nicodemus Daoud Sharaf, Archbishop of Mosul, Kirkuk, Kurdistan and Environs, Mor Timotheos Matta Al-Khoury, Archbishop of Homs, Hama, Tartous and Environs, Mor Maurice Amsih, Archbishop of Jazeera and Euphrates, Mor Anthimos Jack Yakoub, Patriarchal Vicar for Youth Affairs and Christian Education, Mor Boutros Kassis, Patriarchal Assistant and Patriarchal Delegate for the Archdiocese of Aleppo and Environs, Mor Yacoub Babawi, Patriarchal Vicar for Monks Affairs and the Administration of Mor Aphrem Theological Seminary in Maarat Saydnaya, Mor Severus Roger Akhrass, Patriarchal Vicar for Syriac Studies, Mor Cyril Babi, Patriarchal Vicar for the Patriarchal Archdiocese of Damascus, and Mor Joseph Bali, Patriarchal Secretary and Media Office Director.

HOLY LAND – On July 23rd, 1847, His Holiness Pope Pius IX restored the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem with the apostolic letter Nulla Celebrior, which was followed a few months later by the episcopal ordination of Fr. Valerga and his appointment as Patriarch of Jerusalem. 175 years and eight Patriarchs later, the Latin Patriarchate continues its mission of service to the Christian religious and lay communities of the Holy Land.

What happened in Suqaylabiyah this morning is a cheap and reprehensible terrorist act

His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, condemned the terrorist act that took place on Sunday 24 July 2022 morning in Suqaylabiyah, attributed to armed terrorist groups, which targeted the gathering that took place during the inauguration of the Agia Sophia Church. The Patriarch's words were expressed in a phone call between His Beatitude and His Eminence Nicolas Baalbaki, Metropolitan of Hama and dependencies. His Beatitude affirmed that the children of Suqaylabiyah are paying the price of their faith with blood and that the terrorist attack is cheap, reprehensible, and deplorable. His Beatitude expressed His deepest condolences, as well as those of the Antiochian Orthodox Church, for the martyr who died today, and wished the wounded a speedy recovery, as well as condolences to the children of Suqaylabiyah.