John 2:1-11

We left Jesus at the Jordan where, hidden among many anonymous people, he received baptism from an unsuspecting John and where his identity was confirmed by the God the Father, who filled him with the Spirit and called him the beloved Son (Lk 3:21-22).

Today we find Jesus at a wedding (John 2:1-11), also hidden among all the other participants at the banquet, with nothing to make him appear as a mere guest.

At this banquet, Jesus seems to disappear: He is not one of the protagonists of the feast and He is not the one who notices that there is a shortage of wine; in his dialog with his mother, he seems to say that he cannot do anything yet (“Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come” - John 2,4). He has jars filled with water and brought to the master of the table (John 2:9-10), who does not know where the wine comes from, just as the bride and groom will not know. The disciples are also not explicitly told that they recognized the sign that Jesus performed.

Statement of His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Orthodox Family, after his meeting with the President of the Lebanese Republic General Joseph Aoun.

On January 13, 2025, a delegation representing the leadership of the UAECNE headed by Reverend Dr. Paul Haidostian, President of the Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East (UAECNE), and President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Evangelical Family visited visited His Beatitude Patriarch Raphaël Bedros XXI, Patriarch of the Armenian Catholic Church and President of the Middle East Council of Churches for the Catholic Family. The purpose of the visit was to present a special commemorative medal plaque, created in honor of the UAECNE’s centennial, celebrated throughout 2024.

A statement from the Holy See announced that the Cardinal Secretary of State held a meeting in Amman with papal representatives of Middle Eastern nations, in which a call for a ceasefire “on every front” was made, along with a desire for peace in the Middle East.

Vatican News

The Vatican Secretary of State, His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin, presided over a meeting on January 13 with the Apostolic Nuncios in the Middle Eastern region in Jordan's capital of Amman, where he traveled for the consecration of the Church of the Baptism of Jesus along the banks of the Jordan River on Friday.

At midnight on the 1st/14th of January 2025, a festive Divine Liturgy – “Parrhesia” – took place at the Most Holy and Life-Giving Tomb on the feast of the Circumcision of the Lord and the commemoration of Saint Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, the Great Hierarch and Ecumenical Teacher.

On the evening of the Eve of the Feast of St. Basil the Great and the New Year, 31st December 2024 / 13th January 2025, the cutting ceremony of the Vasilopita took place in the Patriarchal Hall of the Greek Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

Present at the ceremony were the representative of the Greek Consulate General in Jerusalem, Mrs Anna Mantika, and members of the Consulate, as well as Patriarchal Clergy, Bishops, Priests, Deacons, Monks, Nuns, and members of the Greek and Arabic-speaking communities of Jerusalem. His Beatitude Patriarch Kyrios Kyrios Theophilos III, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and all Palestine and Jordan, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), addressed all the participants of this solemn event with the following words:

“For God hath given me to know the knowledge of the things that are, to know the constitution of the world, and the operation of the elements, the beginning and the end, and the middle of times, the changes of turns and alterations of seasons, the cycles of years, and the positions of the stars” (Wisdom of Solomon 7:17-18), the Wisdom of Solomon says.

Prot. N. (1) 33/2025
 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ our Hope, 

May the Lord give you peace! 

This year, the Church dedicates Sunday, January 26 to the Word of God and thus introduces us to the Jubilee that Pope Francis has called for in 2025. The prayer of the whole Church shall be centered on the gift of “hope”, which we ask the Lord Jesus for with all our strength. 

The Word of God helps us to find the reasons for our hope and to revive it, particularly in this land of ours and in this time of darkness and suffering that humanity is forced to experience because of wars and injustices that cast fear, discouragement and doubt in our hearts. 

For this, I suggest reading the First Letter of St. Peter the Apostle. It is a short letter (only five chapters), but it overflows with the grace of the Holy Spirit, which alone can animate our Christian life in faith, hope and charity.  

The Head of the Supreme Council of the Evangelical Community in Syria and Lebanon and member of the MECC executive committee,, Rev. Joseph Kassab, extended a congratulatory message to His Excellency, President of the Lebanese Republic, General Joseph Aoun, on the occasion of his election, expressing his confidence in President Aoun's ability to lead the country to safety and stability after years of political and economic failures.

General Joseph Aoun, the commander of the Lebanese army, was elected as the new President of the Republic of Lebanon by the Lebanese Parliament on January 9.

On this occasion His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches, extended a congratulatory letter. In his letter, His Holiness welcomed the new president and emphasized that this election signifies a new chapter in Lebanon’s modern history. He assured President Aoun that the Armenian Apostolic Church community in Lebanon stands by his side as an ally and is ready to participate in efforts to restore the country.

A meeting was held between His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches, and 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 on Friday, January 10th, 2025, at the Catholicosate of Cilicia in Antelias.

The General Secretary of the Greek Patriarchate of Jerusalem

On Thursday, 27 December 2024 / 9 January 2025, on the feast of the Holy First Martyr and Archdeacon Stephen, the following Christian Churches and Communities gathered for the celebration of Christmas in the Greek Patriarchate of Jerusalem with the presence of His Beatitude Patriarch Kyrios Kyrios Theophilos III, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and all Palestine and Jordan, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC):

The Franciscan Brotherhood – Custody of the Holy Land, led by its Superior, Fr Francesco Paton. During this visit, mutual prayers for peace, reconciliation, and dialogue were exchanged, with special mention of the significance of the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea as the foundation of Church unity. The Custodian spoke of his impending retirement from the Custody service and thanked His Beatitude for His excellent cooperation during his years as Custodian of the Holy Land. His Beatitude also expressed his gratitude for the collaboration, particularly in the context of the current difficult circumstances in the Holy Land.

On Friday, January 10, 2025, the Catholic Church celebrated a historic milestone with the inauguration of the Church of the Baptism of Christ on the banks of the Jordan River at Al-Maghtas. The pontifical mass was led by His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See, representing His Holiness Pope Francis. Among the distinguished attendees were His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, bishops, priests, and church leaders, including former Patriarch Fouad Twal, Archbishop Giovanni Pietro Dal Toso, Apostolic Nuncio to Jordan, Msgr. William Shomali, Patriarchal Vicar General, and Bishop-elect Iyad Twal, Patriarchal Vicar in Jordan. The event was also graced by His Royal Highness Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad, Chief Advisor to His Majesty the King for Religious and Cultural Affairs.

This landmark event coincided with the silver jubilee of pilgrimage to the Baptism Site, drawing a large gathering of local believers, pilgrims, apostolic movements, and scout groups. The mass was elevated by the participation of seminarians from Beit Jala and the Sacred Heart Choir of Tla’ Al-Ali, supported by meticulous organization from civil and security authorities.

Damascus, January 9, 2025

His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East for the Greek Orthodox Church, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches for the Orthodox family, received Mrs. Thessaly Salina Chiapu, the Special Representative of the Republic of Cyprus for Religious Freedom in the Middle East, accompanied by Mr. Michael Hadjikirou, the Cypriot Ambassador to Damascus and the accompanying delegation, at the Patriarchate in Damascus.

On the evening of Wednesday, January 8, 2025, 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 Patriarch Raphaël Bedros XXI, Patriarch of the Armenian Catholic Church and President of the Middle East Council of Churches for the catholic family, who visited to extend Christmas greetings.

Lk 3, 15-16.21-22

The feast of the Epiphany, which we recently celebrated, tells us something fundamental about our faith.

It tells us that God reveals himself, that he does not remain hidden: his mystery of love, which had remained hidden throughout the centuries, is now revealed, and revealed fully. Jesus, the Word who took on our flesh, reveals this mystery to us, reveals the face of the Father.

The entire history of salvation is permeated with small and large theophanies. Now everything is condensed in the story of Jesus: when we look at Him we see, as far as we can, the face of the Father, that is, His nature, His way of being.

We saw in Epiphany that God’s way of revealing himself is paradoxical. Normally, those who want to reveal themselves show themselves. God, on the other hand, hides to reveal Himself. He does not hide to be sought after, but because charity is something that happens in secret, that is delivered without fanfare.

His Holiness Pope Francis appoints Sr. Simona Brambilla, an Italian-born religious sister from the Consolata Missionaries, as Prefect of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, along with Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime as Pro-Prefect.

By Vatican News

Sister Simona Brambilla, who will turn 60 on March 27, previously served as the Superior General of the Consolata Missionaries.

Pope Francis appointed her on Monday, the Solemnity of the Epiphany, as Prefect of the Dicastery for Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.

The Christmas Vigil began on the night of the Eve of the Feast, the 24th of December 2024 / 6th of January 2025, with the Midnight Office, the beginning of which was led by His Eminence Metropolitan Isychios of Capitolias, representing His Beatitude Patriarch Kyrios Kyrios Theophilos III, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and all Palestine and Jordan, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), and after with His Beatitude’s blessing, the Christmas Katavasiae commenced.

From the Seating hymn “Come, let us see, O faithful, where Christ is born,” the procession descended to the Holy Grotto through the Main Gate of the Catholicon and via the southern door of the Grotto, where on the right of His Beatitude stood the Representative of the Palestinian Authority, Mr Ramzi Khoury, and the General Consul of Greece in Jerusalem, Mr Dimitrios Angelosopoulos, while on the left stood the representative of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and other officials.

From the General Secretary of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem

On the morning of Monday, 24th December 2024 / 6th January 2025, the Chief Celebrant of the Christmas Feast, His Beatitude Patriarch Kyrios Kyrios Theophilos III, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and all Palestine and Jordan, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), received at the Patriarchate the Body of the Orthodox Scouts and representatives of the Israeli Police, in the presence of the representative of the General Consulate of Greece, Mrs Anna Mantika.

After this meeting, His Beatitude, accompanied by the Holy Sepulchre Fathers, departed through Jaffa Gate. There, His Beatitude and the Holy Sepulchre Fathers boarded vehicles that transported them to the Holy Monastery of the Prophet Elias, between Jerusalem and Bethlehem.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, One God, Amen.

Happy New Year and glorious Nativity Feast. I congratulate you, my beloved, everywhere in our Coptic Churches. I congratulate you on the New Year 2025. And on the glorious Nativity Feast, The first of the blessed feasts in the Gregorian year. I congratulate all the fathers: metropolitans and bishops. All the fathers, the priests: hegumens, and presbyters, and the deacons. I congratulate the church boards and all Coptic families, All the youth and children across the world, On the glorious Nativity Feast, in which we welcome Christ as a little Child. 

When God wished to enter the world, He chose the childhood way. And through this little Child, great works were accomplished. Indeed, when we study the events of the Nativity, we discover a very important fact. That all small things, when placed in the hand of God, become great. I will give examples of this. 

On January 4, 2025 a delegation representing the leadership of the UAECNE headed by Reverend Dr. Paul Haidostian, President of the Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East (UAECNE), and President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Evangelical Family visited His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches, to present the special commemorative medal plaque prepared for the centennial of the Union of Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East, celebrated throughout 2024. The visit provided an opportunity to discuss shared concerns facing our societies and churches and to reaffirm the historical and rich cooperation between the two churches.