Balamand, October 18, 2022

The Holy Antiochian Synod, presided by His Beatitude Patriarch John X (Yazigi), held its thirteenth regular session and fourteenth extraordinary session, from October 12 to October 17, 2022, in Balamand, in the presence of Their Eminences, the Most Reverend Metropolitans:

Elias (Archdiocese of Beirut and dependencies); Elias (Archdiocese of Tyre, Sidon and dependencies); Damaskinos (Archdiocese of São Paulo and All Brazil); Saba (Archdiocese of Houran and Jabal Al-Arab); George (Archdiocese of Homs and dependencies); Silouan (Archdiocese of Jbeil and Batroun and dependencies); Basilios (Archdiocese of Akkar and dependencies); Ephrem (Archdiocese of Tripoli, Koura and dependencies); Ignatius (Archdiocese of France, Western and Southern Europe); Isaac (Archdiocese of Germany and Central Europe); Ghattas (Archdiocese of Baghdad, Kuwait, the Arab Peninsula and dependencies); Silouan (Archdiocese of the British Isles and Ireland); Antonios (Archdiocese of Zahleh, Baalbek and dependencies); Nicolas (Archdiocese of Hama and dependencies); Basilios (Archdiocese of Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines); Ignatius (Archdiocese of Mexico, Venezuela, Central America and the Caribbean Islands); Athanasius (Archdiocese of Lattakia and dependencies); Jacques (Archdiocese of Buenos Aires and All Argentina); Ephrem (Archdiocese of Aleppo, Alexandretta, and dependencies); and Nifon Saikali Metropolitan of Philippopolis and Representative of the Patriarch of Antioch to the Patriarch of Moscow. Also in attendance was His Grace Bishop Gregorios Khoury, Secretary of the Holy Synod.

The Antiochian Orthodox Media Center published a new video including a Homily in Arabic for His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, entitled “All Together”. You may watch it on the Facebook page of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East, within the series of videos “Spots & Descriptions”.

On October 15, 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 His Eminence Archbishop Mor Timotheos Matta Al-Khoury, Archbishop of Homs, Hama, Tartous and Environs , on the occasion of the Commemoration of the massacres of Sadad, at St. Mikhael Church in Sadad.

Their Eminences : Mor Maurice Amsih, Archbishop of Jazeera and Euphrates, and Mor Joseph Bali, Patriarchal Secretary and Media Office Director were also present.

On October 16, 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 “ADISC, Aleppo Development Impact Support Center” in Aleppo which is under the Hope Center.

The inauguration was also attended by their Eminences Archbishops: Mor Timotheos Matta Al-Khoury, Archbishop of Homs, Hama, Tartous and Environs, Mor Anthimos Jack Yakoub, Patriarchal Vicar for Youth Affairs and Christian Education, and Mor Joseph Bali, Patriarchal Secretary and Media Office Director.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, announced on Wednesday the 12th of October, 2022 about a meeting for the Patriarchs of the Orthodox Churches of the Middle East in Cairo next week, mentioning that this meeting is held on regular basis every two years. His Holiness concluded his weekly Wednesday sermon by announcing about the meeting. Today’s weekly sermon was held in St. Virgin Mary’s and St. Bishoy’s Church in Abbaseya.

Also, about the meeting of the Patriarchs, His Holiness said: ”Next week, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, and His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia,, will visit us. This meeting is called “The Meeting of the Three Patriarchs in the Middle East”, in the sister churches”.

The meetings of the Holy Synod of Antioch were launched in Balamand, Lebanon, on the morning of Wednesday 12 October 2022, at the Divine Liturgy, presided by His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, in the Monastery of Our Lady of Balamand, and attended by their Eminences the Metropolitans, Fathers of the Synod.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, witnessed ,on Saturday the 8th of October 2022 , at the Papal Residence Theatre in St. Mark’s Cathedral in Alexandria, a presentation of a project to prepare the Church’s children for service from an early stage with a spiritual curriculum, which is advanced in special skills and creativity and it is entitled “Tomorrow’s Servant.. The Church’s Dream for Tomorrow “.

The first season of the project targets children in 5th and 6th grades in the churches of the Central District of Alexandria. The aim is to prepare a conscious and mature Orthodox servant with a spiritual approach in special skills and creativity.

His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, received the newly elected committee of the Shnorhali Choir of the Catholicosate, headed by the conductor of the choir V. Rev. Fr. Zaven Najarian.

Expressing his filial gratitude, Fr. Zaven briefed His Holiness Catholicos Aram I on the forthcoming agenda of the Shnorhali Choir, including the events on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the choir and the 850th anniversary of the passing of St. Nerses Shnorhali (The Gracious), the 12th century Armenian Catholicos whose name the choir carries.

The Holy See Press Office publishes the schedule, logo, and motto for His Holiness Pope Francis’ Apostolic Journey to Bahrain on 3-6 November 2022, where he will attend the “Bahrain Forum for Dialogue”, under the motto “Peace on earth to people of goodwill”.

By Devin Watkins

His Holiness Pope Francis is set to make an Apostolic Visit to the Kingdom of Bahrain on 3-6 November 2022, to encourage the country’s small Catholic flock and to attend the “Bahrain Forum for Dialogue: East and West for Human Coexistence”.

Ahead of his departure, the Holy See Press Office released the programme for the papal visit to the Middle East country, along with the logo and motto.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, inaugurates the first academic year in the Bible Institute in Alexandria that is affiliated with the Theological College in Alexandria.

Father Andrawes Matta, Dean of the Theological College, began the ceremony with a welcoming speech where he presented the aims of the Institute in its first academic year.

Father Kirollos Roshdy, Director of the Institute also gave a speech in which he explained the stages of establishing the institute, the most prominent of which is signing of the documents of establishing the Institute, under the supervision of Theological College graduates as the Institute awards to its graduates a diploma degree.

On Friday, September 24/October 7, 2022, the commemoration of the Holy First Martyr and Apostle Thecla was celebrated by the Patriarchate in her chapel, located within the Central Monastery of the Hagiotaphite Brotherhood, west of the Church of Saints Constantine and Helen.

During this holiday, the Church remembers that the Saint came from the city of Iconium in Asia Minor and fleeing from her fiancé Thamyrid followed the Apostle Paul in his sermons and preached Christ in Antioch of Pisidia.

She confessed Christ and surrendered herself to torture for Him, from which she escaped and lived to a long age until she slept in the Lord in her birthplace.

The Armenian Theological Seminary of the Holy See of Cilicia held a teachers’ meeting ahead of the 2022-2023 academic year, headed by His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, on Saturday, October 1st, 2022.

The dean of the Seminary V. Rev. Fr. Barouyr Shernezian started the meeting and announced that the Seminary is pleased to receive new and returning students for the new academic year. Subsequently, he invited the Catholicos to deliver his pontifical blessings and offer his thoughts on the mission, vision and core values of the Seminary.

We, the Council of the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem, have noted with grave concern the recent call of the new British Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Liz Truss, for her government to review the placement of the British Embassy to Israel.

This directive was in response to the request of the Conservative Friends of Israel, who seek to have the Embassy moved from its present location in Tel Aviv to a new site in Jerusalem.

As a city holy to the three Abrahamic Faiths representing more than half the world’s population, Jerusalem has long been recognized by the International Community, including the United Kingdom, as having a special status (Corpus Separatum), one aimed at safeguarding the freedom of religion, the sacred character of Jerusalem as a Holy City, and the respect for, and freedom of access to, its holy places (UN Report, “The Status of Jerusalem,” 1997).

A major figure of Christianity, Saint Francis of Assisi is the patron saint not only of the Franciscan Order, but also of animals, merchants, ecology, stowaways, as well as the cities of Naga and General Trias (Philippines) and Italy. Very devoted to the Eucharist, he is said to have received the stigmata (the same wounds as Christ on the cross) a couple of years before his death in 1226. His friars, the Franciscans, have been established in the Holy Land since 1217.

An invitation from the United Nations, Human Rights, Office of the Commissioner, to participate in the Regional Meeting for the Middle East on the International Decade for People of African Descent, between 31 October and 01 November 2022.

JERUSALEM – For International Migrants Day, the Vicariate of Migrants and Asylum Seekers of the Holy Land celebrated with a Mass presided over by His Beatitude Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, which was followed by dancing, singing and storytelling performances in the Notre Dame Center of Jerusalem.

The official International Migrants Day was actually on Sunday, September 25th, but because of the feast of Rosh Hashanah in Israel, the celebration has to be postponed. This day, which was born in 1914 and always takes place on the last Sunday of September, has taken on new importance with Pope Francis, who has placed the issue of migrants at the heart of his agenda. This year’s theme is called “Building the future together with migrants and refugees.”

His Holiness Pope Francis releases his prayer intention for the month of October, in which he asks that the Church be one of synodality, which means walking together, along the same road.

By Francesca Merlo

As is customary at the beginning of every month, His Holiness Pope Francis has released his prayer intention for the month of October: "A Church that is open to everyone".

In The Pope Video, produced by the Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network, the Holy Father begins by asking "What does it mean 'to synod'?", before answering himself, that it means walking together: syn-od. He explains that in Greek, the word synod means to walk together, and to walk on the same road.

On Wednesday September 28, 2022 at the Papal Residence in Cairo, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, met with the Coptic Orthodox Delegation which participated in the eleventh General Assembly of the World Council of Churches “WCC” in Karlsruhe, Germany from 31st of August till 8th of September. Around four thousand people have participated from all over the world in this meeting and it is regarded as the most diverse Christian gathering in the world.

H.G Bishop Thomas and H.G. Bishop Abraham were elected as members of the Central Committee, which includes one hundred and fifty members. This Central Committee of the World Council of Churches acts as the main decision-making body in the council.

On September 29th 2022, His Beatitude Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, signed an agreement to establish the headquarters of the Latin Patriarchal Vicariate in Nicosia (Cyprus), stating that this Vicariate will become a separate and independent place where all administrative and spiritual matters of the Latin parishes and their institutions in Cyprus will be handled. From the beginning of December 2022, Fr. Bruno Varriano, OFM, Patriarchal Vicar in Cyprus, will officially reside there.

The Antiochian Orthodox Media Center published a new video including a Homily for His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, entitled “You, O Human”. You may watch it on the Facebook page of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East, within the series of videos “Spots & Descriptions”.