JORDAN – From February 6th to 7th, 2023, in the Rosary Sisters Visitation Home, the Priests of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem met with His Beatitude Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, and the Auxiliary Bishops to discuss and plan a brighter future for the Latin Church in the Holy Land.

The return of the annual meeting

Just like all other activities, this highly important meeting for the life of the Latin Church in the Holy Land was affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. It came after two years of absence, and was held to discuss the mission of the Latin Church in the Holy Land, and ways to empower it.

On 3 February 2023, at the Papal residence at St Bishoy’s Monastery, in Wadi El Natroun, Egypt, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, received His Eminence Metropolitan Antonious, Coptic Orthodox Metropolitan of Jerusalem and the Near East, accompanied by Representative Kamel Michel, a member of the Senate.

His Eminence Metropolitan Antonious represented to His Holiness Pope Tawadros II some pastoral matters in relation to the services in the Diocese.

His Holiness Pope Francis addresses the winners of the Zayed Prize for Human Fraternity, and tells them that fraternity can be reached, and peace obtained, but that it is a long journey.

By Francesca Merlo

February 4th marks the International Day of Human Fraternity, and the day of the ceremony for the awarding of the 2023 Zayed Prize for Human Fraternity, awarded this year to the Community of Sant'Egidio and the Kenyan peacemaker, Mama Shamsa.

To mark the occasion, His Holiness Pope Francis sent a video message, in which he congratulates the winners for their work in promoting a culture of peace. 

The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East Forms a Relief Taskforce

Following the earthquake that struck the region at dawn on Monday 6 February 2023, His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, launched a distress signal to help the afflicted and affected people. Hence, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East formed a relief taskforce in response to this emergency appeal, and announced the following on its Facebook Page:

Upon the appeal of His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, to respond to the urgent needs of the Parishioners, Churches, and Parishes in the regions of Antioch, Alexandretta, Mersin, Aleppo, Hama and Latakia, following the devastating earthquake, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East has formed a relief taskforce with the aim of implementing emergency response and assistance to those impacted by this great disaster.

On Monday, February 6th, 2023, following the devastating earthquake, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, remained in constant contact with the spiritual and lay leadership of the Armenian community in Syria to closely follow the aftermath and updates.

- According to the latest update, the Armenian community in Aleppo has 4 casualties. It also bears the most substantial structural damage, while Latakia and Kessab suffer relatively mild damage…

And Began to Help the Afflicted Families in Syria Due to the Earthquake Which Occurred at Dawn Today

Under the directives of His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, GOPA-DERD team, at the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East conducted a rapid assessment to provide emergency response to the afflicted families who were affected as a result of the earthquake that hit Syria at the break of dawn today.

After consistent and high-level coordination with the official authorities, GOPA-DERD began its response through a rapid needs assessment, by distributing relief materials in the affected governorates: Aleppo, Hama, and Lattakia, where the team distributed food kits, winterization, mattresses and blankets, trying to secure a safe haven for those who lost their homes to relieve damage caused by this disaster.

His Holiness Pope Francis is saddened by the huge loss of life caused by earthquakes in Turkey and in Syria. His words of closeness and assurances of Prayers came in telegrams sent to the apostolic nuncios of the countries.

By Linda Bordoni

His Holiness Pope Francis says he is deeply saddened to learn of the huge loss of life caused by a powerful earthquake that has struck south-eastern Turkey and north-western Syria.

The 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked wide swaths of the neighbouring countries early Monday morning toppling hundreds of buildings and killing more than 1,500 people.

Following the earthquake which hit Turkey and many countries of the Middle East, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem Prayed for the souls of the victims, the wounded and the affected.

Balamand, February 6, 2023

Following the earthquake that struck the region at dawn on January 6, 2023, His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, made an appeal to their Eminences Metropolitans of the Antiochian See, saying:

A large earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale struck southern Turkey. Its aftershocks affected Syria. This unprecedented earthquake caused great damage to lives and bodies. It also affected the homes of our children and our churches in Alexandretta, Mersin and Antioch.

We inform you of this catastrophe that befell our children in Turkey. We ask you to raise prayers for the comfort of the souls of the dead, the healing of the wounded, and the relief of the afflicted and the homeless who have no roof to shelter them…

On February 2nd, 2023, on the occasion of the feast of the Presentation of the Lord to the Temple, 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 Yacoub Nsibinoyo Church in Södertalje, Stockholm.

He was assisted by their Eminences Archbishops: Mor Dioscorus Benjamin Atas, Patriarchal Vicar in Sweden, and Mor Joseph Bali, Patriarchal Secretary and Media Office Director.

The Holy Qurobo was attended by his Eminence Archbishop Mor Julius Abdelahad Shabo.

On Thursday 2 February 2023, at 8:30 in the morning, a radical Jew entered the Church of the Flagellation, which is the first stop on the Via Dolorosa, in the Old City of Jerusalem. The man tore down the statue of Jesus and defaced the face of the statue. After he was immobilised by the shrine’s door keeper, the police arrived and arrested him.

This is the fifth incident that has occurred  in recent weeks. Just last week, some tourists were attacked by a group of religious Jews who entered the New Gate. They committed acts of vandalism at the New Gate, near the headquarters of the Custody of the Holy  Land, throwing  chairs, tables and glasses and transforming the Christian quarter into a  battlefield.

On February 1st, 2023, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, arrived to Stockholm for his Apostolic visit to the Archdiocese of Sweden and Scandinavia.

His Holiness was received at the airport by His Eminence Archbishop Mor Dioscoros Benjamin Atas, Patriarchal Vicar in Sweden and His Excellency Dr. Tameem Malko, Chargé d’Affaires of the Syrian Embassy in Sweden, with Monks and Priests from the Archdiocese of Sweden and Scandinavia, as well as the Presidents and members of the Archdiocesan councils in Sweden.

His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, attended on the morning of Monday 30 January 2023, the opening session for the annual International Religious Freedom Summit (IRF) held in Washington DC, United States. 

After greeting the attendance with the peace of Jerusalem, His Beatitude took the opportunity to relay the current circumstances of Christians of the Holy Land and Jerusalem to the audience. Pointing out that the “peaceful mosaic that we have known for hundreds of years is under threat” explaining that for years now “the Christian community has faced hate crimes and acts of vandalism” that are no longer targeting properties alone but carrying subtle messages with every attack, that being “that Christians are not welcome in Jerusalem”.

On Sunday, January 16th/29th, 2023, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem celebrated the Feast of the Veneration of the Holy Chain of the Apostle Peter in the Holy Monastery of Saint Nicodemus – commonly known as “the Lentil’s”, adjacent to the Praetorium complex, that is, the prisons of the Roman Administration of time of the Lord.

During this Feast, the Church commemorates the imprisonment of the Apostle Peter by Herod and his miraculous release by God through His angel, as the Acts of the Apostles declare this (12, 1-11).

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

may the Lord give you peace!

In view of the upcoming stage of the Synodal Path, which will be the Continental Stage, and in which all the Catholic Churches in the Middle East will be involved from February 12th to 18th, I wish on this occasion to extend an invitation to the entire diocese as well.

In order to live this new phase of the journey to the fullest, and so that it may bear the desired fruits of communion, participation and growth, we have a precious and effective tool always at our disposal, that of prayer.

His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, visited to the Armenian Genocide Orphans' "Aram Bezikian" museum and the Birds' Nest Orphanage, in Byblos.

In the aftermath of the attack on Christians in Jerusalem.

The Patriarchate of Jerusalem:
“We will work to prevent the marches of Israeli radical groups.”

The Patriarchate of Jerusalem condemns the violent attack carried out by members of Israeli radical groups targeting Christians in the New Gate area of the Old City of Jerusalem last night. The Patriarchate affirms that allowing members of such radical groups to freely march and roam around the neighbourhoods of Jerusalem while armed and having declared criminal intentions, is considered as complicit in the attack and displays unwelcomed leniency with the criminals.

We, the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem, call upon all parties in the Holy Land to practice restraint and self-control. We have been constantly warning of an exploding, senseless cycle of violence that will only cause hurt and suffering to everyone. Such a state of affairs will almost certainly bring further atrocities and anguish, driving us away from the much sought-after peace and stability that we all seek.

In closely monitoring this regrettable situation, we have concluded that this proliferation of violence that has led to the unwarranted deaths of 32 Palestinians and 7 Israelis since the start of the New Year seems to be self-perpetuating. It will surely continue and even escalate unless a robust intervention is resolutely undertaken by community and political leaders on all sides.

His Holiness Pope Francis is appealing for calm and swift solutions in the Holy Land amid a “death spiral” of violence between Palestinians and Israelis over the past week.

By Devin Watkins & Nathan Morley

“The death spiral that is increasing by the day only closes the few glimmers of trust that exist between the two peoples.”

His Holiness Pope Francis expressed his sorrow for the recent flareup in violence in the Holy Land on Sunday in his greetings following the noon-day Angelus prayer.

“Since the beginning of the year, dozens of Palestinians have been killed in firefights with the Israeli army,” he said.

On the evening of Sunday 29 January 2023, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, inaugurated the tenth International Symposium of the St. Mark Foundation for Coptic Heritage Documentation, which is taking place at LOGOS Papal Center at St. Bishoy’s Monastery, Wadi El Natroun, Egypt, which will be held over 3 days.

The Symposium’s lectures focus on the topic of “The Coptic Bible” with the presence of 120 attendees who are involved in Coptic sciences, including 30 specialists from different nationalities, including Bishops, Priests and academics.