On Thursday, January 6/19, 2023, the solemn ceremony of the Feast of the Epiphany took place in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

The service began with the veneration of the Deposition slate and the Holy Sepulchre by the Head of the feast, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, the High Priests and the Priests.

Afterwards, while the floats were struck, the Fathers-members of the Holy Synod venerated the Horrendous Golgotha, the Priests received His Beatitude’s blessing to participate in the Liturgy and His Beatitude and the High Priests were dressed in their vestments.

On Thursday, January 19th, 2023, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Cilicia, received Father Andraos Al Anthouny, Pastor of the Coptic Orthodox Church in Lebanon and Syria, and the Representative of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark.

Fr. Andraos conveyed the fraternal greetings of His Holiness Pope Tawadros and shared about issues pertaining to the Coptic community in the Levant. In turn, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I underlined the importance of constantly growing cooperation between the two sister churches, specifically in the theological and ecumenical fields.

On January 19, 2023, 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 special rite of Epiphany (Denho) at the Baptism site on the Jordan River.

Their Eminences Archbishops: Mor Clemis Daniel Kourieh, Archbishop of Beirut, Mor Joseph Bali, Patriarchal Secretary and Media Office Director, Very Rev. Raban Benjamin Chamoun, Parish Priest of Mor Aphrem Church in Amman, Very Rev. Raban Andrew Bahhi, and Very Rev. Raban Yacoub Ibrahim as well as deacons and faithful from Jordan, also participated in this ceremonial Prayer.

On Wednesday, January 18th, 2023, a delegation representing the Council of Sunni and Shiite Religious Leaders met with His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia.

The delegation expressed solidarity with the Artsakh Armenians and stressed the imperative of ending the Lachin Corridor blockade, on humanitarian grounds. The delegation also expressed their commendation to His Holiness Catholicos Aram I for his dedication to Christian-Muslim cooperation efforts.

Msgr. Piero Coda, an Italian member of the Synod Theological Commission, offers an overview of the ongoing Continental Stage of the synodal journey, as the Church reflects on the Working Document "Enlarge the space of your tent".

By Adriana Masotti

Msgr. Piero Coda, secretary general of the International Theological Commission and member of the Synod Theological Commission, has offered a general overview of the ongoing Continental Stage of the Synod on synodality.

Msgr. Coda noted that "great Popes have led the Catholic Church in the most recent period of her long history: great in spiritual stature and witness in daily life, in wisdom and culture, in social discernment and prophecy."

The “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity” in Lebanon started on Sunday, January 15th, 2023, at St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Bsalim, Lebanon. With the Blessing of His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, His Eminence Arch. Shahan Sarkissian, Prelate of the Armenian Prelacy in Lebanon, and V. Rev. Fr. Sarkis Aprahamian participated in the service.

The “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity” is an international Christian Ecumenical observance, at the initiative of the World Council of Churches, and is kept annually around Pentecost in the Southern Hemisphere and between 18-25 January in the Northern Hemisphere.

His Holiness Pope Francis announces an Ecumenical Prayer Vigil, to be held in September prior to the Synod of Bishops, so as to entrust the bishops' work to the Lord.

By Vatican News staff writer

Addressing the faithful gathered in St Peter's Square for the Sunday Angelus, His Holiness Pope Francis looked ahead to the traditional Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which takes place each year from 18 to 25 January.

At 1:00 am in the early morning on Saturday, January 1/14, 2023, the Despotic feast of the Circumcision of the Lord and the commemoration of the Holy Father Basil the Great began in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

In the beginning, Matins was held in psalms of the divinely inspired contrite theological Kathismata and the Canons, iambic and rhythmic of the Megalynaria of the 9th Ode and the Praises and the Doxology.

After this, the Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great began in the Holy Sepulchre, officiated by His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, Patriarch of Jerusalem…

AL-MAGHTAS – On January 13th, 2023, in the Baptism Site of Jordan, His Beatitude Patriach Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, presided over a Mass on the occasion of the 23rd annual and National Day of Pilgrimage to the Baptism Site of the Lord.

Multitudes made their way to the church of the Baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ – on the banks of the Jordan river – to celebrate its founding, as well as the feast of the Baptism of the Lord.

The celebration was preceded by a press conference, during which His Beatitude Patriach Pierbattista Pizzaballa reminded everyone how the foundation stone of the church in which the Feast was celebrated was laid in 2009 by then His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI himself, with the participation of His Majesty King Abdullah II and Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah.

On January 13, 2023, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, attended the Holy Qurobo and Prayer for the Late His Holiness Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, at the Lady of Dormition Greek Catholic Melkite Cathedral in Bab Sharqi, Damascus, Syria.

The Holy Qurobo was celebrated by His Beatitude Joseph Absi, Greek-Melkite Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, Alexandria, and Jerusalem, and His Eminence Cardinal Mario Zenari, Apostolic Nuncio in Damascus.

At noon on Wednesday, December 29, 2022/ January 11, 2023, the funeral service of the blessed former Patriarch of Jerusalem His Beatitude Patriarch Eirinaios was held at the Holy Monastery of the Holy Metropolis of Samos and Ikaria, Greece, under the brotherly care and supervision of the officiating the service, His Eminence Metropolitan Eusevios of Samos and Ikaria.

The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem was represented by His Eminence Metropolitan Kyriakos of Nazareth after the Presbyter Priest of the Holy Metropolis of Nazareth Fr Simeon and the Exarch of the Holy Sepulchre in Athens Archimandrite Raphael.

JERUSALEM – On January 10th, 2023, His Beatitude Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, presided over the Pontifical Mass of Requiem for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher.

The bells of Pro-Cathedral tolled to announce the passing of His Beatitude Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa and to tell the faithful that the Mass was about to begin... Meanwhile, in the streets of Jerusalem, His Beatitude, accompanied by Bishops and Priests, walked in procession to the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher, with the Kawas leading the way.

The Hagiotaphite Brotherhood announces, after sorrow, not the Lord’s sorrow, the departure into heaven of its member and former His Beatitude Patriarch of Jerusalem, blessed Mr Irenaios.

The departed to the Lord breathed his last after a long illness in the “Errikos Dunan” Hospital in Athens on the morning of December 28, 2022 / January 10, 2023.

For the repose of his soul in the land of the living, a Trisayon was held on the morning of Thursday 10 January 2023 at the Horrendous Golgotha and the memorial services established for its members will be held by the Brotherhood

May his remembrance be ever-lasting.

On Monday, December 27, 2022/January 9, 2023, the visits of the Christian Churches of Jerusalem took place on the occasion of the Christmas Feast.

First, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem was visited by the Fraternity of the Franciscans under its Abbot Custos, Father Francisco Paton, who congratulated His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, on the Christmas Feast and thanked for the joint cooperation to overcome problems that Christians face, such as at the Gate of David, at Siloam, at the Anglican and Protestant Cemetery on the hill of Holy Zion and also thanked Him for His letter of condolence on the deceased former Pope Benedict XVI.

The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem published a video entitled “BETHLEHEM: A baby in the house of bread - Holy Scripture Holy Places”, produced by the Christian Media Center in the Holy Land. It is the first episode of a series of five episodes about the Holy Scriptures and the Holy Places, in which Fr. David Neuhaus underlines how the Holy Land and its treasures constitute a Fifth Gospel, deepening our understanding of who Jesus is.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, recently received a phone call from His Excellency Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.

During the call, the President reassured the health of His Holiness the Pope, who reassured His Excellency and thanked him for his interest and good feelings.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, conducted a number of medical examinations today, due to the state exertion that His Holiness experienced during the Nativity Liturgy at the Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ in the New Administrative Capital, last evening.

The results of the tests and diagnosis of the doctors following up with His Holiness Pope Tawadros II showed that H.H. is in good health and the state of exertion H.H. experienced by His Holiness was a result of the efforts he made during the past days, through the continuous receptions of guests to congratulate H.H. on Christmas along with the pastoral work that he carried out recently.

On Saturday, January 7th, the Ge'ez Rite Chaplaincy of Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem attended a Christmas morning Mass in the Saint Francis Church of Bethlehem, located below the Church of Saint Catherine. The Mass was presided over by Fr. Ghebriel Okubu Zerezghi, general chaplain, and concelebrated by Fr. Nikodemus Schnabel, osb, Patriarchal Vicar for Migrants and Asylum Seekers.

Although Catholic, this chaplaincy, which includes both Ethiopians and Eritreans (all asylum seekers), follows, just like its mother churches, the Julian calendar instead of the Gregorian one (according to which Christmas is on December 25th). With the Ukrainians, they are the only Christian Catholics in the Holy Land celebrating Christmas in January instead of December.

On Saturday December 7, at St Mark’s Cathedral in Abbaseya, Egypt, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, received a number of Bishops, priests, members of Church committees and his children to congratulate His Holiness on Christmas.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II spoke with them congratulating them on Christmas, and was keen to greet them all.

His Holiness also had an interview with “Good Morning, Egypt” program on Egyptian TV, during which His Holiness congratulated all Egyptians on the Feast.

On January 6, 2023, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, inaugurated a Charity Bazaar organized by Emanuel Family of the brotherhood of “Faith and Light” (Iman w Noor) at the Patriarchate in Bab Touma, Damascus.

Their Eminences Archbishops: Mor Cyril Babi, Patriarchal Vicar for the Patriarchal Archdiocese of Damascus, and Mor Joseph Bali, Patriarchal Secretary and Media Office Director, were also present.