On Tuesday evening, August 20th, 2024, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches, received His Beatitude Raphael Bedros XXI Minassian, Catholicos Patriarch of Cilicia of the Armenian Catholic Church, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches for the Catholic Family, who was accompanied by His Eminence Bishop Robert (Krikor) Badichah, Auxiliary Bishop of the Patriarchal Eparchy of Beirut.

“We stress the importance of building bridges of communication among Churches at a time when the logic of confrontation prevails”

Damascus, August 20, 2024

His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches for the Orthodox Family, stressed the necessity of strengthening the principle of communication at a time when the logic of clash and disharmony prevails. This message was communicated during a recent communication with His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem. The importance of building bridges of communication with other Churches of the Christian world through all bodies, dialogues, conferences and representative councils was also emphasized at a difficult time when countries and societies tend to replace the logic of encounter with the logic of clashes. The two Prelates also tackled the importance of the role of the Churches of Antioch and Jerusalem in preserving the Christian presence in the Middle East.

On the occasion of the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, at the Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Toronto

On August 18, 2024, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches, presided over the Holy Qurobo celebrated by His Eminence Archbishop Mor Athanasius Elia Bahi, Patriarchal Vicar of Canada, on the occasion of the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, at the Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Toronto.

Their Eminences Arcbishops: Mor Teethose Yeldho, Archbishop of the Malankara Archdiocese of Northern America, and Mor Augeen Al-Khoury Nemat, Patriarchal Secretary, also attended the holy Qurobo.

“We are connected with the Church of Cyprus by history and geography, as much as we are brethren in faith.”

Damascus, August 18, 2024

His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches for the Orthodox Family, emphasized the depth of the relationship between the Church of Antioch and the Church of Cyprus. His Beatitude Patriarch John X uttered these words during a phone call to His Beatitude Archbishop Georgios, Archbishop of New Justinian and All Cyprus. The Patriarch emphasized the deep relations between the two churches, bound by ties of history and geography, and a brotherhood of faith that has been expressed for two thousand years.
The call meant to discuss ways to strengthen the fraternal bonds and the necessity of activating bridges of communication in the Orthodox Christian world in light of contemporary conflicts. His Beatitude also discussed the pivotal and important role and mission of the Middle East Council of Churches amidst the challenges that the region is witnessing.

On Monday, August 6/19, 2024, the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Saviour on Mount Tabor was celebrated by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem. On this Feast, the whole Church, especially the Church of Jerusalem, remembers that our Lord Jesus Christ, before His passion, took His pre-eminent disciples Peter and James and John “to the high mountain and was transfigured before them”.

According to the Evangelists, as well as to the Fathers of the Church, Jesus demonstrated to them the splendor of His divine nature, His face became brighter than the sun and His clothes whiter than the light, and Moses appeared as the representative of the dead, and Elijah as the representative of the living, speaking with Him about His passion, which was about to take place when He would come to Jerusalem. When these things were happening “a bright cloud overshadowed them and a voice was heard from the cloud saying, this is my beloved son, in whom I am well-pleased, hear ye him”.

On the Pilgrimage Day of St. Mary Monastery and Eve of the Feast of the Assumption of Virgin Mary, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches, presided over the Divine Liturgy held on the open-air Altar of the Monastery, in Bikfaya. The Divine Liturgy was celebrated by the Prelate of Lebanon, His Eminence Archbishop Shahe Panossian.

During the Liturgy, the Pontifical Procession, led by His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, ascended the altar for the traditional ceremony of the Blessing of the Grapes and Madagh. The Catholicos conducted the ceremony, and subsequently, delivered the Sermon…

His Holiness Pope Francis sends a message to participants in the 2024 Rimini Meeting inviting them to become "beggars of the essential" by turning to Jesus Christ.

By Vatican News

His Holiness Pope Francis has sent a message to participants in the 2024 Meeting for Friendship Among Peoples, commonly known as the Rimini Meeting.

Each year, prominent politicians, entrepreneurs, representatives of religion and culture, intellectuals, artists, athletes, and others converge on the Italian city of Rimini for a cultural experience “driven by the desire to discover the beauty of reality”.

In his letter, signed by His Beatitude Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, His Holiness Pope Francis highlighted the theme for this year’s Meeting - “If we are not after the essential, what are we after?”

On August 18, 2024, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches, celebrated the Holy Qurobo at St. Mary Church in Toronto.

His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II was assisted by their Eminences: Mor Teethose Yeldho, Archbishop of the Malankara Archdiocese of Northern America, and Mor Augeen Al-Khoury Nemat, Patriarchal Secretary.

"We bear witness to Christ in the very land where He was born and from where His Apostles set out. Hence the importance of the Christian presence in the Middle East"

Damascus, August 19, 2024

His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches for the Orthodox Family, made a phone call with His Beatitude Pope and Patriarch Theodoros II, Greek Orthodox Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa. The call meant to discuss the fraternal relations between the two Churches. The Prelates addressed the situation in the Orthodox church and reviewed ways to enhance communication among Churches, at times where the world and the church are facing challenges that seek to undermine them in the guise of freedom. The two Prelates also discussed ways to enhance the role of the Churches as witness to Christ in the Middle East, the first cradle of Christianity. They also touched on the general situation in the region and the world, expressing the need to give precedence to the spirit of peace and dialogue over the logic of wars and conflicts that devastate humanity.

Jn 6:51-58

At the center of this Sunday's Gospel passage (Jn 6:51-58) we find the word life. Counting both adjectives and nouns and verbs related to this term, we find it at least 8 times. We could say that the discourse on bread is a discourse on life.

In John's Gospel, the question of life does not only return in this chapter.

In fact, the whole of the fourth Gospel shines the spotlight on this discourse, on this question: in John the theme of life returns again and again.

On August 17, 2024, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches, celebrated the Holy Qurobo at Mor Barsaumo Church in Toronto - Canada.

His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II was assisted by their Eminences: Mor Teethose Yeldho, Archbishop of the Malankara Archdiocese of Northern America, Mor Athanasius Elia Bahi, Patriarchal Vicar of Canada, and Mor Augeen Al-Khoury Nemat, Patriarchal Secretary.

On August 17, 2024, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches, attended an official reception held in his honor in Toronto.

Their Eminences Archbishops: Mor Teethose Yeldho, Archbishop of the Malankara Archdiocese of Northern America, Mor Athanasius Elia Bahi, Patriarchal Vicar of Canada, and Mor Augeen Al-Khoury Nemat, Patriarchal Secretary, were also present.

The recent decision by the [Israeli Police] to ban Christian worshippers from participating in the sacred services of the Feast of the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor, citing the absence of requisite government approvals and licenses, has led to the regrettable closure of this holy site to thousands of faithful congregants.

This decision, reminiscent of last year’s similarly timed disruption, has left the Patriarchate of Jerusalem with little recourse. The recurrent [Israeli] portrayal of Christian prayers and religious ceremonies as private events necessitating security measures—an approach distinctly detached from the spiritual essence of these occasions—serves as a persistent excuse to impede Christians from exercising their faith. Such actions dismiss the integral role of Christians within the societal fabric, imposing undue restrictions rather than fulfilling the state’s duty to facilitate the practice of religious practices...

On August 15, 2024, on the occasion of the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches, celebrated the Holy Qurobo at St. Mary Church in Paramus, New Jersey.

His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II was assisted by their Eminences Archbishops: Mor Dionysius John Kawak, Patriarchal Vicar for the Archdiocese of the Eastern USA, and Mor Augeen Al-Khoury Nemat, Patriarchal Secretary.

During his Angelus address on the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, His Holiness Pope Francis reminds the faithful that the Blessed Mother should never be confused for a motionless statue, but rather always recognized as our hardworking companion, preceding us joyfully on our quest toward Heaven with the Lord.

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

Mary, our Mother, leads us, joyfully, toward Her Son...

His Holiness Pope Francis gave this reassurance during his Angelus address on the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

On August 15, 2024, His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, presided over the Holy Mass in Beit Sahour to celebrate the Feast of the Assumption. The Mass was attended by Father Issa Hijazin, the Parish Priest, along with several Priests and Nuns, the Mayor of Beit Sahour, and a gathering of believers and scouts.

Celebration of the Feast of the Assumption

The celebration began with the Holy Mass led by His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, which was attended by many believers from various parts of Beit Sahour and the surrounding area. In his Homily, the Cardinal compared the first reading with the Gospel, noting that the first reading from the book of Revelation speaks of the seven-headed dragon symbolizing sin and evil, which confronts a woman carrying a child who brings salvation to the world. In the Gospel, this woman humbly accepts God's grace, which in turn gives us the Savior, Christ the Lord. She believed and lived the Word of God. She is not only the Virgin Mary, but today she also represents the Church, our community, who are called to faith in Almighty God and to live according to His teachings so that we may receive salvation.

Damascus, August 14, 2024

His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches for the Orthodox Family, held the Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Dormition of Our Lady in the Mariamite Cathedral in Damascus. Their Eminences Reverend Bishops who concelebrated were: Romanos (Al Hannat), Moussa (Al Khoury), Youhanna (Batash), Arsenios (Dahdal), Moussa (Al Khasi), with many priests and deacons.

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, a procession took place with the icon of the Dormition of Our Lady while the Mariamite scouts were playing music.

Jn 6:41-51

In verse 46 of today's Gospel passage, we encounter a phrase, a Word, that serves as a key to understanding this section of John Chapter 6, presented to us in the Liturgy. We read thus, “Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father”.

The concept of "seeing God" is a prominent theme in John's writings. This is evident at the end of the Prologue of the Fourth Gospel, which notes that while no one has ever seen God, the only begotten Son, who became flesh, has revealed Him (cf. Jn. 1:18). The First Epistle of John also touches on this theme, indicating that although no one has ever seen God, if we love one another, God dwells in us, and we can come to know Him (cf. 1 Jn. 4:12)…

“Your Eminence Metropolitan Mark,

Dear Archimandrite Roman,

Dear Mother Abbess Elizabeth,

Your Eminences,

Your Graces,

Beloved Members of this Sisterhood,

Sister and Brothers in Christ,

We greet you today in the joy of this holy feast of Sint Mary Magdalene, Equal to the Apostles, and we join her praise with the hymnographer:

Rejoice, thou who hast loved the heavenly sweetness of Jesus;

Rejoice, thou who hast found true life in Christ!

Rejoice, thou who by faith hast provided for us an image thereof;

Rejoice, thou who now dwellest in the joy of heaven forever!

Rejoice, thou who ever tastest of the food of paradise;

Rejoice, thou who kindled within thy heart the fire of love for God!

(From the Akathist Hymn)…

On August 6, 2024, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches, celebrated the Holy Qurobo at St. Georges Patriarchal Cathedral in Damascus, on the occasion of the Feast of Transfiguration and the Feast of Mor Gabriel.

He was assisted by their Eminences: Mor Joseph Bali, Patriarchal Assistant, and Mor Andrawos Bahhi, Patriarchal Vicar for Youth Affairs and Christian Education.